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Making 

Poultry  Pay 

' 1 

J,  M.  Acheson 

E.  F.  Barry 

Michael  R.  Boyer 

Emma  Glearwaters 

E.  I.  Cole 

William  Cook 

I.  G.  H.  Cook 

Samuel  Cushmaa 

J.  H.  Davis 

Special 

D.  Myron  Greene 
J.  G.  Hoover 
A.  F.  Hunter 

G.  A.  McFetridge 

A.  V.  Meersch 

Myra  V.  Norys 

T.  E.  Orr 

George  H.  Pollard 

Francis  E.  Pearson 
E.  O.  Roessle 
W.  H.  Rudd 
W.  R.  Smith 

Writers 

J 

John  Weber 

L 

By 

EDWIN   G.   POWELL 

1 '  < 

Editor  Farm  and  Home,     Formerly  Poultry 

Editor  American  Agriculturist  Weeklies 

ORANGE     JUDD     COMPANY 

NEW     YORK.       NINETEEN       HUNDRED       AND       SIXTEEN 


Copyright,  1907 
Orange  Judd  Compaq 
New  York 


Printed  m   U.  S.  A« 


Introduction 

The  market  is  full  of  poultry  books  and  poultry 
literature,  but  many  of  these  works  are  out  of  date  or 
have  been  written  by  people  who  know  more  of  theory 
than  of  practice.  Others,  again,  have  had  certain  hob- 
bies to  advocate.  The  amateur,  who  knows  little  or 
nothing  about  poultry,  in  reading  one  or  more  of  the 
so-called  standard  works  often  gets  erroneous  ideas 
which  prove  costly  when  carried  out,  so  that  before 
learning  by  experience  to  keep  poultry  successfully  he 
either  loses  much  necessary  time  and  money,  or  gives 
up  discouraged.  The  author,  who  claims  to  be  only  a 
practical  poultryman,  has  no  theories  to  advance,  no 
hobbies  to  ride.  He  has  aimed,  in  preparing  this  work, 
to  draw  largely  from  the  experience  of  practical  poul- 
try keepers  and  to  present  a  brief  hand-book  of  poul- 
try keeping,  which  will  be  a  safe  and  convenient  guide 
for  those  who  keep  a  few  or  many  fowls.  That  he  has 
succeeded  in  this,  even  in  a  small  way,  is  very  gratify- 
ing and  the  words  of  commendation  from  those  who 
have  read  the  first  edition  show  that  the  way  to  profit- 
able poultry  keeping  has  been  pointed  out  to  many 
amateurs. 


38187 


Qontents 

CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

Profits  in  Poultry I 

Not  a  quick-get-rich  scheme — Where  figures 
lie — What  it  costs  to  keep  a  hen — Conserva- 
tive and  actual  profits — Starting  in  the  poul- 
try business. 

CHAPTER  II 
Care  of  Poultry 20 

Cost  of  producing  eggs — A  laying  competi- 
tion— The  sex  of  eggs — Selecting  best  layers 
— An  amateur's  experience — Forcing  the 
molt — Care  of  poultry  manure — Best  size  of 
flocks. 


CHAPTER  III 
Where  to  Keep  Fowls 46 

Buildings  of  many  kinds — Arranging  the  in- 
terior— Yards  and  fences — Nests  and  appli- 
ances— A  well-arranged  poultry  farm. 

CHAPTER  IV 
Breeds  and  Breeding 82 

Principles  of  correct  mating — Pure-bred 
poultry  on  the  farm — Crossing  pure  breeds — 
Serviceable  cross-bred  chickens — Breeds  anr" 
varieties  of  poultry 


CONTENTS  VII 

CHAPTER  V 

PAGE 

Feeds  and  Feeding 119 

Feeding  for  eggs — Fattening  poultry  for 
market — Composition  of  feeding  stuffs. 

CHAPTER  VI 
Hatching  and  Rearing  the  Natural  Way 149 

Setting  the  hen — Brood  coops  for  hen  and 
chicks — Care  of  newly  hatched  chicks — 
Water  for  young  chicks — Removing  the  hen. 

CHAPTER  VH 
Artificial  Incubation 166 

A  bit  of  history — Setting  the  incubator — 
Turning  the  eggs — Proper  heat — Testing  the 
eggs — Moisture — Feeding  incubator  chicks — 
The  brooder — Handling  brooder  chicks — 
Brooder  houses — Homemade  brooders. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Broilers,  Capons  and  Roasters 206 

Best   breeds — Philadelphia   broilers — Capons 
and  caponizing — The  soft  roaster  industry. 


CHAPTER  IX 
Tha  Market  End 224 

Fancy  vs.  utility — Storing  eggs  for  winter — 
Shipping  live  poultry — Dressing  and  ship- 
ping poultry 


Vlli  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  X 

FAOB 

Waterfowl  234 

Commercial  duck  breeding — Care  of  young 
ducks — Handling-  breeding  stock — Winter 
quarters  for  ducks  and  geese — Killing  and 
picking — Breeds — Keeping  geese  for  profit — 
The  care  of  breeding  geese — Feeding  and 
fattening — Picking — Breeds — Cross  breeding 
^-Breeding  and  keeping  swans. 

CHAPTER  XI 
Turkeys,  Guineas,  Peafowls 265 

Selection  and  care  of  breeding  turkeys — 
Keeping  turkeys  in  confinement — Feeding 
and  care  of  young  turkeys — Marketing  tur- 
keys— Guineas — Peafowls. 

CHAPTER  XH 

Pigeons  and  Squab  Raising 278 

Squab  raising  a  fad — Where  to  keep  pigeons 
— Pigeon  lofts  and  houses — Pheasant  rearing. 

CHAPTER  XHI 

Enemies  and  Diseases 286 

Asthenia  —  Blackhead  in  turkeys — Bowel 
trouble — Bumble  foot — Cholera — To  avoid 
colds — Consumption — Cramps — Crop  bound 
— Douglas  mixture — Egg  bound — Feather 
eating  —  Gapes  —  Hawks  —  Leg  weakness — 
Lice^Mites — Limber  neck, — Rats — Roup — 
Sore  heads — Scaly  leg — Skunks — Venetian 
red — Worms. 


List  of  Illustrations 

PAGE 

Money  makers  on  an  American  f  arm ....  Frontispiece 

Types  of  good  and  poor  layers 32 

The  original   scratching  shed   house 48 

Ground  plan  of  scratching  shed  house 49 

Nest  boxes 50 

Curtain  front  house 51 

Cornell   two-pen   house 52 

Frame  of  Cornell  house 53 

Side  view  Cornell  house 55 

Front  elevation  Cornell  house 56 

Ground  plan  Cornell  house 57 

Messrs.  Perry's  well-arranged  house 60 

Daniel  Lambert's  inexpensive  house 61 

Interior  view  D.  J.  Lambert's  house 62 

House  and  yards  at  New  York  experiment  station  63 

A  forty-five-dollar  house  of  the  author's 64 

Barrel  stave  house 65 

A  novel  house  for  winter  layers 66 

House  in  a  Boston  suburb 6y 

A  corner  in  the  hallway 68 

House  with  pens  on  both  sides 69 

Mr.  Hay  ward's  A-shaped  house 70 

Framework  of  a  small  house  and  yard 71 

Runway  to  second  story 72 

Good   interior   arrangement 74 

Well-planned    interior 75 

Plan  for  dark  nests  y6;  Maine  trap  nests 78 

Pair  Light  Brahmas 94 

Black  Langshan  pulLet 96 

Pair  Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns 98 

Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca . .  o lOO 


X  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGTi 

Pair  White-Faced  Black  Spanish loi 

Ancona    pullet I02 

Houdan  cock 103 

Barred  Plymouth  Rock  cockerel  105 ;  Hen 106 

White  Plymouth  Rock  hen 107 

Pair  of  Golden  Wyandottes 108 

Pair  Silver  Laced  Wyandottes 109 

White  Wyandotte  cock 1 10 

Pair  Rose  Comb  Rhode  Island  Reds Ill 

Mottled  Java  cock 112 

Buff  Orpington  cock II4 

Cornish  Indian  cock I15 

Red  Pyle  Game  Bantam;  White  Cochin  Bantam  117 

Feed  trough 121 

Self  feeder  feed  box 123 

Self  feeder 124 

Clover  cutter 127 

Grit  boxes  128 ;  Grit  crusher 129 

Protected  nests  for  sitting  hens 151 

Old-fashioned  A  coop;  Coop  with  run  and  shelter  152 

Coop  with  wire  covered  run 153 

Convenient  box  coop 154 

Framework  of  coop  and  run 155 

Ventilated  coop  for  hen  and  chicks 1 56 

Protected  coop  for  early  chicks 1 56 

Utilizing  old  barrels  for  coops 1 57 

Shade  board    157 

Coop  for  two  broods 158 

Feeding  trough  for  chicks 162 

Covered  feeding  pen  for  chicks 162 

Chick   fountain 164 

Outdoor  summer  shelter  for  chicks 165 

Cat-proof  shelter  for  chicks 165 

Size  of  air  cell  during  incubation 173 

The  completed   hatch 174 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  XI 

PAGE 

A  modern  incubator  cellar 176 

Plan  of  simple  brooder  house 184 

Brooder  house  for  farmers 185 

Sectional  hot  water  brooder 186 

Sidehill  brooder  house;  Individual  brooder  house  187 

Author's  colony-brooder  house 1 88 

Inexpensive  colony-brooder  house 189 

Small  brooder  houses  on  the  range 190 

A  Rhode  Island  colony-brooder  house 191 

Built  of  two  piano  boxes 192 

An  Indiana  colony-brooder  house 193 

Cornell  colony-brooder  houses  and  yards 194 

Cornell  colony-brooder  house 196 

Frame  of  Cornell  colony-brooder  house 197 

Dr.  Woods'  brooder 198 

An  improved  brooder 202 

Heater  parts  for  brooder 203 

The  Tillinghast  homemade  brooder 204 

Hot  water  brooder  and  tank 205 

Pen  of  capons 213 

Caponizing  table  with  weights 214 

Position  of  fowl  on  operating  table 215 

Set  of  caponizing  tools 2x6 

Caponizing  tools   217 

Spoon  forceps 217 

Colony  house  for  south  shore  roasters 221 

Shaping  rack  and  fowl 229 

Water  tank   for  ducks 238 

A  few  Pekins  on  a  California  duck  ranch 240 

Pekin  duck 246 

An  object  lesson  in  duck  keeping 247 

Indian  Runner  drake 248 

Toulouse  gander  258 

An  Embden  gander  259 

Flock  of  Brown  Chinese  geese 260 


XII  LIST  OF  ILtUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Gray  African  geese 261 

Enclosed  roosting-  shed  for  turkeys 267 

Group  of  Bronze  turkeys 2y2i 

A  perfect  Bronze  turkey  hen 274 

Pair  of  Pearl  guineas 276 

Mating  coop  for  pigeons 278 

Pigeon  house  and  fly 279 

Pigeon  loft  in  second  story 280 

A  five-hundred-mile  record  Homer 281 

Pigeon  house  and  covered  fly 282 

Interior  view  of  pigeon  house 283 

Hawk   trap    297 

Protecting  roosts  from  lice 299 


CHAPTER  I 
JProfits  in  Poultry 

NOT    A    QUICK-GET-RICH     SCHEME 

Father:  "Now,  see  here!  If  you  marry  that 
young  pauper  how  on  earth  are  you  going  to  Hve?" 

Sweet  girl:  "Oh!  we  have  figured  that  all  out. 
You   remember   that   old   hen   my   aunt   gave    me?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  I  have  been  reading  a  poultry  circular,  and 
I  find  that  a  good  hen  will  raise  twenty  chickens  in  a 
season.  Well,  the  next  season  that  will  be  twenty-one 
hens ;  and  as  each  will  raise  twenty  more  chicks,  that 
will  be  420.  The  next  year  the  number  will  be  8400, 
the  following  year  168,000,  and  the  next  3,360,000. 
Just  think!  At  only  fifty  cents  apiece  we  will  then 
have  $1,680,000.  Then,  you  dear  old  papa,  we'll  lend 
you  some  money  to  pay  off  the  mortgage  on  this 
house." 

She  had  figured  it  all  out  like  many  another  person 
has  and  got  rich  on  paper,  but,  unfortunately,  the  hen 
died.  In  no  line  of  work  or  business  are  such  large 
fortunes  made  (on  paper)  in  so  short  a  time  as  in 
poultry  keeping.  Here  is  how  an  incubator  manufac- 
turer puts  it  in  his  catalog:  "Suppose  one  starts  with 
fifty  hens,  for  example.  If  the  hens  are  properly 
selected,  and  one  year  old,  they  should  yield  from 
twenty-five  to  forty  eggs  per  day  from  December  until 
June;  say  245  eggs  per  week.  These  eggs,  placed  in 
incubators  weekly,  should  insure  at  least  175  chicks  per 
week,  after  the  hatching  begins.  As  broilers  are 
usually  marketed  when  three  months  old,  one  would 

N.   C.   Slulc    College 


2  MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 

need  to  keep  constantly  on  hand  about  2000  chicks. 
In  six  months  from  December  to  June,  you  would 
market  at  this  rate,  4200  chicks;  and  an  average  of 
forty  cents  each  would  make  your  receipts  $1680.  The 
cost  of  raising  these  chicks,  including  the  cost  of 
keeping  the  parent  stock,  and  of  operating  the  incuba- 
tors and  brooders,  would  not  be  half  that.  But  figuring 
one-half,  the  profit  from  six  months'  business,  over  all 
expense,  would  be  $840."  But  further  along  in  his 
catalog  he  says :  "In  egg  farming,  the  profit  runs  from 
$1.50  to  $2.40  per  hen.  The  raising  of  broilers  costs 
about  four  cents  per  pound.  The  average  selling  price 
the  year  round  is  eight  cents  per  pound.  The  profit  on 
broilers,  therefore,  averages  100  per  cent.  It  costs 
about  five  cents  per  pound  to  raise  capons  to  market 
maturity.  The  profit  is  about  $2  per  head  on  them." 
But  as  broilers  weigh  about  two  pounds  each  when 
marketed  there  is  a  big  hole,  somewhere,  between  forty 
cents  each,  and  eight  cents  per  pound.  And  thus  again : 
''Poultry  raising  is  the  easiest  way  that  I  kjiow  of  to 
make  money.  It  is  also  the  surest.  The  investment 
necessary  is  slight,  and  the  risk  almost  nothing.  There 
is  no  other  line  of  work  open  to  most  people  that  pays 
so  well  for  the  time  spent  on  it."  That's  very  true, 
except  the  poultry  business  as  a  business  is  not  easy. 
It's  hard  work  365  days  in  the  year,  same  holidays  and 
Sundays  as  week  days. 

WHERE   FIGURES   LIE 

Again,  the  enthusiast  who  has  the  hen  fever  sits 
down  and  figures  that  a  hen  will  lay  150  eggs  a  year 
(some  will  lay  200)  which  at  two  cents  each  will  bring 
in  $3.  It  costs  $1  to  feed  her,  which  leaves  a  profit 
of  $2.  Now  if  one  hen  makes  a  profit  of  $2,  500  hens 
will  make  a  profit  of  $1000  and  1000  hens  $2000,  or 


PROFITS    IN    POULTRY       .  3 

10,000  $20,000.  Many  poultry  .keepers  are  making 
this  rate  of  profit  from  flocks  of  500  or  larger,  but  they 
have  spent  years  in  getting  their  knowledge  and  expe- 
rience. The  trouble  with  the  amateur  enthusiast  is 
that  he  counts  experience  as  nothing  and  attempts  to 
walk  before  he  can  creep.  His  would-be  profits  go  to 
pay  the  price  of  experience. 

But  the  poultry  business  does  pay  and  pay  well  to 
those  who  understand  it,  have  mastered  its  details  and 
give  it  the  necessary  time  and  attention.  It's  fun  to 
care  for  a  flock  of  twelve  or  fifty,  but  an  eternal,  ever- 
lasting grind  to  look  after  500.  So  don't  attempt  poul- 
try keeping  as  a  business  unless  you  will  personally  put 
in  from  twelve  to  sixteen  hours  every  day  in  the  year. 

THE    HEN   AS   A    MONEY    MAKER 

The  earning  capacity  of  the  American  hen  has 
never  been  carefully  determined.  Like  all  other  lines 
of  business,  farming  and  stock  husbandry,  the  results 
are  dependent  largely  upon  individuality  of  the  animal 
and  the  attention  given  by  the  owner.  Long  expe- 
rience of  farmers  and  poultry  keepers  has  shown  that  a 
flock  of  hens  may  be  kept  so  as  to  give  a  return  rang- 
ing from  a  considerable  net  loss  on  food  consumed  and 
labor,  to  a  profit  of  as  much  as  $5  per  fowl.  Yet, 
under  good  average  conditions,  with  fair  fowls,  suita- 
ble food  and  a  reasonable  amount  of  intelligent  care,  it 
ought  not  to  be  difficult  to  arrive  at  a  basis  which  will 
show  what  a  flock  of  hens  are  capable  of  earning. 

There  were  entered  in  American  Agriculturist's 
money-in-poultry  contest,  which  closed  April  i,  1901, 
over  500  contestants  who  sent  in  their  reports.  These 
came  from  every  state  and  territory  in  the  union.  The 
flocks  varied  in  size  from  ten  to  500  fowls.  All  manner 


4  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

and  sizes  of  houses  and  yards  were  used  and  every  con- 
dition presented  which  is  Hkely  to  be  found  on  this 
continent  so  that  an  average  taken  from  the  figures 
given  will  necessarily  show  what  the  American  hen 
can  do  and  is  doing,  under  average  conditions.  In 
computing  these  results,  we  used  the  records  of  365 
poultry  keepers  who  supplied  all  the  figures  called  for 
in  the  record,  the  others  being  incomplete  in  some  one 
or  more  details. 

The  contest  year  was  started  with  24,345  fowls, 
and  closed  with  27,268,  there  being  a  gain  during  the 
year  of  2923.  As  these  represent  almost  entirely  pul- 
lets hatched  during  the  spring,  they  affect  the  income 
only  part  of  the  time — that  is,  after  they  reached  ma- 
turity and  began  to  lay,  which  we  have  assumed  at 
eight  months  of  age.  Therefore  we  have  added  one- 
third  of  this  increase  to  the  original  number  and  fig- 
ured that  25,340  fowls  were  the  number  kept  during 
the  year.  There  was  invested  in  these  fowls,  in  the 
poultry  houses,  yards,  fixtures,  etc.,  the  sum  jf 
$43,987.52,  or  an  average  investment  of  $1.81  per  hen. 
Figuring  that  each  hen  is  worth  about  fifty  cents,  there 
would  be  required  an  investment  of  about  $1.30  in  the 
way  of  buildings,  land,  etc.,  to  keep  her.  During  the 
year  there  was  expended  for  food  and  supplies,  which 
includes  grit,  green  bone,  condition  powders,  medicines 
and  the  like,  $23,712.34,  or  ninety-four  cents  per  hen. 
This  is  very  close  to  the  usual  estimate  of  $1  per  year 
as  the  cost  of  keep  of  a  hen. 

An  accurate  account  was  kept  by  each  contestant 
of  the  amount  of  time  expended  in  the  care  of  poultry 
and  a  fair  valuation  was  placed  upon  this,  which 
amounted  to  thirty-four  cents  per  hen  per  year,  or 
$23.96  per  flock,  there  being  an  average  of  sixty-nine 
fowls  in  each  flock.  During  the  year  these  hens  laid 
an  average  of  eighty-two  eggs  each.    The  best  record 


PROFITS    IN    POULTRY  5 

was  an  average  of  247  eggs  from  a  flock  of  twenty 
Rose  Comb  White  Leghorns  by  a  Connecticut  poultry 
keeper;  the  smallest  from  another  Connecticut  poul- 
tryman  who  obtained  485  eggs  from  forty-nine  fowls, 
or  about  ten  eggs  per  hen  per  year.  While  this  aver- 
age record  of  eighty-two  eggs  per  hen  may  seem  small, 
it  must  be  borne  in  mind  the  number  of  fowls  given 
also  includes  the  roosters,  which  would  make  a  slight 
difference  in  the  average  yield. 

The  eggs  sold  for  $1.15  per  hen,  showing  a  fair 
profit  on  eggs  alone  over  cost  of  feed.  A  considerable 
portion  of  the  income  was  derived  from  the  sale  of 
poultry,  either  young  stock  or  the  original  fowls,  which 
were  turned  off  and  replaced  by  young  stock  raised 
during  the  year.  This  amounted  to  $17,118.81,  or 
sixty-eight  cents  per  hen.  Making  no  estimate  for  stock 
raised,  but  charging  the  entire  food  cost  to  eggs,  makes 
the  eggs  cost  41.15  cents  each  for  food  consumed, 
but  as  nearly  one-third  of  the  food  used  was  consumed 
by  young  stock,  the  net  food  cost  per  egg  was  about 
three-quarters  cent  each.  This  must,  of  course,  vary 
largely  with  locality,  as  food  costs  more  than  double  in 
some  sections  what  it  does  in  others.  It  can  safely  be 
assumed,  however,  that  the  food  cost  of  eggs  is  in  the 
neighborhood  of  one-half  their  market  value. 

The  total  receipts  per  fowl  amounted  to  $1.95 
each,  leaving  a  profit  of  $1.01  over  cost  of  feed  and 
sixty-seven  cents  net  over  cost  of  food  and  labor.  This 
gives  a  net  income  of  $46.23  per  flock  and  a  gross  in- 
come of  $135.40.  The  gross  income  is  actually  much 
nearer  the  profit  derived  from  the  fowls  in  the  contest 
than  the  net  figures,  for  nearly  all  the  labor  given  was 
that  employed  at  odd  intervals,  which  would  otherwise 
be  of  small  value,  while  a  good  proportion  of  the  food 
was  that  produced  on  the  farms  and  gardens,  or  refuse 
from  the  table  which  would  otherwise  go  to  waste.    As 


6  MAKING    POULTRY   PAY 

a  basis  for  future  figuring  in  the  poultry  industry,  a 
cost  of  food  of  $1  per  hen  and  a  return  over  feed  of  $i 
are  pretty  safe  figures  to  tie  to.  The  cost  will  vary 
largely  from  year  to  year,  or  in  different  localities,  de- 
pending largely  on  the  price  of  grain  and  other  feeds. 
These  figures  from  the  contest  are  briefly  summarized 
as  follows: 

INCOME    AND    PRODUCTION    OF    AN    AVERAGE    HEN 

Eggs  laid  in  a  year S2 

Value  of  eggs  sold  and  used $1.15 

Value  of  chickens  sold 68 

Gross  income i  .95 

Cost  of  food 94 

Cost  of  labor 34 

Profit  over  food  cost i.oi 

Net  profit 6y 

Investment,  including  hen,  buildings,  etc 1.81 

GETTING  EGGS  IN  WINTER 

Some  valuable  results  are  gleaned  from  the  winter 
egg  laying  contest  conducted  by  Farm  and  Home,  from 
November  i,  1906  to  April  i,  1907.  There  were  117 
contestants,  living  in  all  sections  of  the  United  States 
who  kept  7040  fowls  in  136  flocks.  With  the  exception 
of  three  flocks,  whose  owners  were  sick  part  of  the 
time,  all  showed  a  profit  from  the  sale  of  eggs  laid  dur- 
ing the  five  months.  The  general  average  was  sixty 
fowls  per  owner  which  laid  forty-two  eggs  each, 
that  sold  for  ninety-five  cents.  The  food  cost  was 
thirty-eight  cents  each,  leaving  a  profit  of  fifty-seven 
cents  per  fowl. 

Taking  all  points  into  consideration,  the  age  of 
the  fowls  and  the  manner  of  housing  seem  to  have 


PROFITS    IN    POULTRY  7 

the  most  influence  on  the  results  obtained.  Pullets  gave 
far  greater  returns  than  either  hens  or  flocks  consist- 
ing of  both  pullets  and  hens.  The  results  from  the 
pullets  were  fifty-two  eggs  each  which  brought,  at 
market  prices,  $1.19  per  fowl.  The  hens  averaged 
forty-six  eggs  each  which  brought  ninety-six  cents. 
The  cost  of  food  was  practically  the  same  with  each. 
The  pullets  made  a  profit  of  nearly  fifty  per  cent 
greater  than  the  hens. 

The  best  results  were  obtained  in  warm  houses 
(those  thoroughly  built  but  without  artificial  heat) 
and  in  houses  with  a  curtained  roosting  room,  the 
profit  being  the  same  in  each  case.  The  scratching 
shed  style  of  house  ranked  next. 

This  contest  was  the  most  successful  of  the  kind 
ever  conducted  and  the  results  were  so  strong  in  some 
directions  that  we  may  safely  draw  some  definite  con- 
clusions as  follows : 

Pullets  produced  the  most  eggs  and  the  greatest 
profit. 

Poultry  houses  should  be  warm  or  at  least  there 
should  be  a  warm  sleeping  apartment  for  the  greatest 
egg  yield  and  the  highest  profit. 

The  rations  should  consist  largely  of  whole  grain 
fed  in  a  deep  litter  of  straw  or  other  scratching  mate- 
rial. There  seems  to  be  no  advantage  in  feeding  a 
warm  mash.  Better  results  are  obtained  by  feeding 
the  mixed  ground  grain  dry  in  a  hopper  or  box  to 
which  the  fowls  can  have  access  at  all  times.  There  is 
no  danger  of  their  eating  too  much  of  this. 

The  breed  is  not  so  important  as  the  feed  and 
care.  Well  matured  pullets,  comfortably  housed  and 
well  fed  have  got  to  lay  in  spite  of  themselves.  Pref- 
erence should  be  given  at  all  times  to  well  bred  stock, 
because  there  is  an  added  return  in  the  sale  of  eggs 


8  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

or  fowls  for  breeding  purposes  or,  with  American  and 
Asiatic  breeds,  in  the  greater  weight  of  market  poultry. 

CONSERVATIVE  AND  ACTUAL  PROFITS 

A  profit  of  $1  per  hen  a  year  may  be  counted 
on  as  reasonably  as  you  can  estimate  profits  in  any 
business,  by  one  who  will  give  the  fowls  necessary  care 
and  attention.  There  are  scores  of  people  who  are 
making  a  good,  comfortable  living  keeping  200  or  300 
hens,  producing  eggs  for  market,  raising  the  pullets 
each  year  and  dressing  and  selling  the  cockerels.  It 
does  not  require  much  capital  for  a  start,  but  one 
should  have  enough  to  get  through  the  summer  and 
fall  in  easy  circumstances  and  take  into  consideration 
that  600  or  700  chickens  will  eat  a  good  many  dollars 
worth  of  grain  while  growing.  Here  is  what  some 
poultry  keepers  have  done  and  are  doing: 

From  our  experience  with  fowls  and  cows,  with- 
out counting  the  expense  of  either,  we  had  decided  that 
twenty-five  hens  would  pay  full  as  much  profit  as  a 
cow  and  with  less  labor.  An  accurate  record  showed 
us  that  the  hens  brought  an  average  profit  of  $1  each. 
—  [Mrs.  J.  L.  Marvin,  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y. 

Last  year  I  kept  an  average  of  144  hens,  starting 
the  year  with  143  hens  and  pullets  and  closing  with 
145.    The  monthly  financial  record  is  as  follows: 

FINANCIAL   STATEMENT  OF   THE   FLOCK 

Income  Cost  of  feed  Profit 

January    $37.i6            $17.88  $19.28 

February   40.21               1300  27.21 

March    42.36               10.25  32.11 

April    46.30                8.45  37.85 

May    39.39                6.30  33.09 


PROFITS   IN   POULTRY  9 

Income      Cost  of  feed  Profit 

June  29.06  8.90  20.16 

July    19.96  10.00  9.96 

August 22.08  9.40  12.68 

September  1938  11.00  8.38 

October    22.32  io-75  11-57 

November   18.00  10.90  7.10 

December   28.18  10.75  18.43 

Total    $36540  $127.58  $237.82 

From  the  total  profit  should  be  taken  $;  for  stock 
bought  and  $12  for  eggs  and  oil  used  for  hatching, 
which  leaves  $218.82  as  the  exact  profit  fo%  the  year. 
Chickens  consumed  by  family  were  not  counted.  No 
account  of  time  was  kept.  I  hatched  300  chickens,  but 
raised  only  seventy  pullets  and  about  eighty  cockerels. 
Fifty  died  from  wet,  cold  weather  when  from  one  to 
two  weeks  old,  and  the  rest  disappeared  gradually  until 
they  were  shut  up  for  the  winter.  Fifteen  disappeared 
after  they  had  been  housed. — [M.  C.  Harris,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

The  sweepstakes  prize  of  $200  in  American  Agri- 
culturist's money-in-poultry  contest  was  awarded  to 
Mrs.  Leonard  Johnson  of  Radnor,  Pa.,  not  because  of 
the  greatest  profit,  but  because  her  report  complied  the 
closest  with  the  rules  under  which  the  contest  was  held. 
She  lives  on  a  place  of  one-fourth  acre,  and  keeps  a 
small  flock  of  mostly  White  and  Barred  Plymouth 
Rocks.  She  began  the  record  year  with  sixty-three 
hens,  two  males  and  eighty  early-hatched  chicks,  and 
closed  with  twenty-eight  hens,  two  males  and  sixty-two 
pullets.  The  hens  laid  during  the  year  5828  eggs, 
which  sold  for  $149.18.  Those  used  and  set  were  worth 
$5.90.  She  sold  126  head  of  broilers  and  old  fowls  for 
$100.     The  hen  manure,   feathers,   etc.,  brought  the 


lO  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

total  receipts  of  the  flock  to  $267.59.  The  feed,  nearly 
all  of  which  was  bought,  cost  $88.78,  labor  was  worth 
$2748  and  other  incidental  expenses  brought  the  total 
expense  to  $121.21,  leaving  a  profit  of  $146.38,  to 
which  should  be  added  a  gain  of  $18.04  i^  added  value 
of  stock  at  the  end  of  the  year  and  of  $17.92  profit 
on  eggs  and  poultry  bought  and  sold  to  customers. 
This,  with  the  pay  for  her  time,  brings  Mrs.  Johnson's 
income  close  to  $200,  and  that  from  a  small  flock  which 
were  cared  for  largely  at  odd  moments.  An  interest- 
ing comparison  of  the  egg  and  hatching  records  of  her 
flocks  for  seven  years  is  here  given : 

LAYING  AND   HATCHING   RECORD   FOR   SEVEN   YEARS 


1900 

1899 

1898 

1897 

1896 

1895 

1894 

Number    hens 

50 

90 

110 

113 

85 

70 

36 

Eggs    laid,    dozen. 

507 

9521/2 

846 

1030 

727 

6531/2 

2571/2 

Number    per    hen. 

121  yo 

1321/2 

101 

104 

103 

112 

100 

Income   per   hen.. 

$2.78 

$2.89 

$1.73 

$1.78 

$1.72 

$1.98 

$1.92 

Cost  feed  per  hen 

.80 

.80 

1.00 

1.00 

.60 

.55 

.70 

Eggs     set 

370 

236 

1039 

824 

1080 

27  6 

374 

Eggs    hatched.... 

116 

139 

686 

554 

680 

200 

127 

Per    cent    hatched 

52 

56 

66 

67 

63 

72 

69 

Chicks  raised  .... 

69 

70 

*280 

130 

175 

170 

62 

Per   cent   raised. . 

60 

50 

67 

28 

25 

85 

49 

I  began  with  100  chickens  at  New  Year's,  and  at 
New  Year's  a  year  later  had  185,  besides  eating  sixty- 
six  and  selling  $16  worth  at  prices  ranging  from  fif- 
teen to  twenty-five  cents  each.  Also  sold  $103  worth 
of  eggs,  after  eating  all  we  could.  Did  not  pack  any 
eggs,  but  sold  every  week  at  market  prices,  which 
were  as  low  as  six  cents  a  dozen  for  a  while  in  the 
summer,  and  eighteen  cents  was  the  highest  price  I 
got  in  winter.  My  flock  is  just  a  scrub  flock. — [Mrs. 
J.  Sykes  Wilson,  Davison  County,  S.  D. 

A  profit  of  $2.67  per  hen  was  made  by  W.  H. 
Pearson  of  Cumberland  County,  Me.,  who  started  the 
year  with  seventy-five  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  hens, 
and  closed  with  eighty-five.    The  receipts  from  11,594 

•Sold  250  newly  hatched  chicks. 


PROFITS    IN   POULTRY  II 

eggs  sold  were  $236.91,  and  from  498  chicks  and  fowis 
$1.48.87.  The  total  cost  of  feed  and  of  eggs  for  setting 
was  $153.15.  During  the  early  part  of  the  season,  a 
good  many  of  the  eggs  were  sold  for  hatching  at  three 
cents  apiece,  but  the  rest  went  at  market  prices. 

A  very  high  price  for  pure-bred  poultry  often 
yields  a  big  return  to  the  one  making  the  investment. 
A  Maine  carpenter,  who  by  accident  was  unable  to 
work  at  his  trade,  invested  $15  for  a  trio  of  turkeys. 
From  the  two  hens  he  raised  122  turkeys,  most  of 
which  he  sold  at  $2  to  $5  each  for  breeding  purposes 
and  the  remainder  at  $1.25  per  head  for  market.  An- 
other breeder  paid  $50  for  a  Brahma  hen  and  her 
brood  of  chicks.  In  less  than  a  year  he  sold  $300 
worth  of  stock  and  eggs. 

A  Living  from  Poultry  and  Bees  can  be  made  on  a 
small  plot  of  ground  but  the  person  must  study  to 
learn  the  conditions  of  success  and  then  faithfully  carry 
them  out  in  detail.  His  plant  must  be  large  enough  to 
give  him  constant  employment  and  he  should  have  a 
taste  for  the  work  so  that  instead  of  its  being  onerous 
to  him  he  will  enjoy  doing  it.  In  this  business  as  in  any 
other  what  leads  to  success  is  a  large  capacity  for 
painstaking  work.  On  my  little  farm  in  the  village,  I 
have  four  large  poultry  yards.  In  these  yards  are 
planted  small  fruit  and  apple  trees,  which  make  a  shade 
for  the  hens  and  furnish  me  with  fruit  for  family  use 
and  for  market.  In  each  yard,  as  fast  as  they  increase, 
I  shall  set  twelve  or  fifteen  hives  of  bees.  These  do 
not  in  any  way  disturb  the  hens,  and  with  good  man- 
agement are  a  source  of  considerable  profit.  I  have 
been  able  to  pay  for  my  farm  and  many  improvements 
upon  it,  besides  saving  some  money,  because  our  poul- 
try have  nearly  made  a  living  for  my  little  family,  so 
we  could  save  about  all  the  receipts  from  my  special 
money  crops  grown  on  the  farm.     Our  poultry  and 


12  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

bees  and  the  three  acres  on  which  strawberries  and 
celery  are  grown  for  market,  I  know  are  more  profit- 
able to  me  than  would  be  a  good  dairy  farm  of  loo 
acres. —  [W.  H.  Jenkins,  Delaware  County,  N.  Y. 

Keeping  Poultry  for  Pin  Money — I  am  a  farmer's 
wife  and  in  the  spring  of  1899  I  determined  to  find 
some  way  to  get  "woman's  pin  money."  I  decided  to 
turn  my  thoughts  to  poultry.  I  set  a  good  many  eggs 
from  White  and  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks  that  were  on 
the  place  and  bought  some  others  of  different  breeds. 
The  result  was  240  chicks,  some  of  which  were  sold 
for  broilers,  and  some  the  crows  carried  off,  so  that  I 
had  100  pullets  and  five  old  hens  in  the  fall.  I  put 
twenty-eight  in  an  old  henhouse  and  the  remaining 
seventy-two  in  an  underground  cellar.  I  fed  a  warm 
mash  through  the  winter  and  gave  them  good  feed  and 
care.  I  closed  the  year  with  140  hens  on  hand.  They 
laid  during  the  year  12,129  6g"&s,  which  brought 
%266.6o.  Stock  sold  brought  $29.35  ^^^  sixteen  bar- 
rels of  manure  $12,  making  total  receipts  J307.95. 
Feed  and  supplies  cost  $122.95,  labor  $25.50,  birds 
bought  $2.20,  making  total  expenses  for  the  year 
$150.65,  which  left  a  profit  of  $157.30,  to  which  may 
be  added  $48.33,  gain  in  inventory  value  from  in- 
creased number  of  hens. — [Mrs.  D.  McDonald,  Con- 
necticut. 

WHO  SHOULD  ESSAY  THE  POULTRY  BUSINESS? 

It  often  strikes  me  as  a  part  of  the  irony  of  life, 
that  the  two  classes  who  seem  most  eager  and  deter- 
mined to  try  their  hand  at  poultry  are  those  who  have 
no  income  whatever,  and  those  who  already  have  an 
assured  and  ample  income.  These,  it  seems  to  me,  are 
just  the  two  classes  to  whom  poultry  insures  most  risk, 
with  least  prospect  of  satisfaction. 


PROFITS   IN  POULTRY  1 3 

At  first  glance,  this  idea  may  seem  paradoxical. 
It  is  not  so,  however,  because  the  reasons  which  render 
the  business  an  uncertain  venture  to  the  one  class  are 
an  entirely  different  set  from  those  which  render  it  an 
unwise  opening  for  the  others — just  as  their  object  in 
attempting  it  is  different.  Those  who  know  anything 
at  all  about  the  risk,  the  difficulty,  the  anxiety,  the 
work  connected  with  poultry  raising  as  a  means  of 
support,  will  need  no  words  to  convince  them  of  the 
folly  of  entering  upon  this  work  without  capital,  expe- 
rience, or  means  of  support  while  the  latter  is  being 
acquired.  Yet  it  is  the  poor  in  our  cities,  who  are 
straining  their  eyes  for  some  means  of  getting  a  bare 
living,  who  are  the  most  frequent  inquirers — at  least 
that  has  been  my  experience. 

It  is  just  because  the  farmer  has  his  living  assured, 
whether  the  poultry  flourish  or  die;  and  it  is  because 
the  wife  and  children  can  put  into  the  work  time  which 
has  no  commercial  value,  and  which  is  not  the  one 
thing  which  stands  between  the  family  and  absolute 
starvation,  that  the  farm  is  pre-eminently  the  place  for 
poultry  raising.  This  wholly  aside  from  the  patent  fact 
that  here,  of  all  places,  is  room  to  give  the  flocks 
proper  chance  for  full  and  best  development.  The 
farmer's  family  are  of  all  the  people  in  the  world  best 
fitted  in  every  direction  for  this  work. 

Those  who  live  on  the  farms,  yet  still  believe  that 
there  is  no  money  in  poultry,  or  who  believe  that  it 
needs  someone  with  ready  money  to  hand  to  make 
poultry  really  pay,  should  consider  one  fact  which  they 
almost  invariably  overlook.  This  is,  that  the  man  with 
an  income  and  no  farm  must  spend  that  income  in 
acquiring  the  things  which  the  farm  furnishes ;  and  if 
he  throws  up  a  paying  job  of  any  sort  to  keep  poultry, 
that  poultry  must  pay  him  a  surplus  equal  to  that 
which  he  before  received,  and  which  was   his  own 


14  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

value,  ere  the  word  profit  can  be  applied  to  it  at  all. 
Thus,  it  may  not  count  for  much  if  a  man's  flock  of 
fowls  is  paying  him  a  profit  of  $800  per  year ;  if  he  has 
given  up  a  position  which  paid  him  $1000,  he  is  rais- 
ing poultry  at  a  loss.  That  is,  this  is  the  case,  unless 
his  other  work  was  an  injury  to  his  health,  or  he  gets 
sufficient  pleasure,  or  profit  (if  it  is  "profit"  to  him) 
in  some  side  line  to  make  up  the  difference  to  him. — 
[Myra  V.  Norys  in  Farm  Poultry. 

STARTING    IN    THE    POULTRY    BUSINESS 

An  inquiry  comes  to  our  desk :  "How  much  does 
it  cost  per  hen  per  year,  and  what  is  a  reasonable  per- 
centage of  profit  on  an  investment  in  the  egg  and 
broiler  business  ?"  It  is  assumed  that  the  party  asking 
that  question  has  sufficient  capital  to  start,  but  knows 
nothing  about  the  business.  Probably  he  has  been 
building  air  castles ;  has  figured  out  on  paper  the  huge 
profits  that  will  eventually  make  him  wealthy.  Or,  on 
the  other  hand,  he  may  be  a  man  of  limited  capital  and 
wants  to  begin  right. 

There  are  two  classes  to  whom  satisfaction  cannot 
be  given:  The  first,  those  who  have  a  lot  of  capital 
and  no  experience,  and  who  want  to  begin  on  a  gigan- 
tic scale.  The  second,  those  who  have  a  limited  capital 
and  no  experience,  and  who  cannot  afford  to  begin  on 
a  small  scale,  as  they  want  to  make  a  living  from  the 
start.  A  successkil  poultry  farm  must  grow.  It  must 
be  started  on  the  ground  floor.  Capital  is  necessary, 
but  capital  without  brains  will  be  useless.  "Money  "nd 
fools  soon  part." 

To  get  to  the  question :  "How  much  does  it  cost 
per  hen  per  year?"  An  estimate  for  years  accepted 
by  the  poultry  fraternity  has  been  that  it  costs  $l 
a  year  to   keep  a  hen,  and  that  $1   a  year  is   the 


PROFITS   IN  POULTRY  I5 

average  profit  per  hen  in  well-managed  flocks.  We  do 
not  know  exactly  how  these  figures  were  reached  but 
we  do  know  that  if  they  were  true  twenty  years  ago 
they  are  somewhat  changed  today. 

For  the  past  eight  years,  we  paid  special  attention 
to  our  feed  accounts.  Eight  years  ago  we  bought  meat, 
cracked  corn,  oats  and  other  feed  at  about  one-half 
what  we  are  paying  today ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  the 
market  prices  of  eggs  and  broilers  are  almost  a  third 
better  than  they  were  then.  Carefully  kept  accounts 
show  that,  taking  into  consideration  the  rise  and  fall 
of  the  prices  of  feed,  as  well  as  the  prevailing  prices 
of  the  market,  it  has  averaged  us — for  the  past  eight 
years — ten  cents  per  month  per  head,  making  a  total 
of  $1.20  per  year  for  each  fowl. 

As  for  receipts,  we  have  found  that,  allowing  fifty 
cents  as  the  average  price  for  the  full  two-year-old 
hen,  when  sent  to  market,  we  have  made  a  profit  of  a 
little  over  $2  per  head  (for  two  years)  as  a  general 
average.  We  have  done  even  better  with  some  hens, 
especially  with  those  which  laid  from  120  to  150  eggs 
a  year.  We  had  records  of  180  and  even  reached  the 
200  mark,  but  our  average  egg  yield  for  the  entire 
farm  was  100  eggs  per  year.    So  here  are  the  figures : 

Two  hundred  eggs  were  laid  in  two  years  by  the 
hen.  At  the  average  price  of  two  cents  each,  the 
receipts  were  $4.  At  the  close  of  her  second  season 
we  sold  the  hen  in  market  at  fifty  cents  and  this 
put  the  total  receipts  at  $4.50.  It  cost  us  $2.40  to 
feed  that  hen  two  years,  so  that  amount  must  be  taken 
off  the  receipts,  and  this  gives  us  a  clear  gain  of  $2.10 
on  each  hen.  This  was  from  an  average  of  200  head 
of  stock. 

Now  at  this  point  the  novice  is  very  apt  to  jump 
to  conclusions.  He  will  reason:  "Here  are  figures 
showing  that  there  is  a  profit  of  $2  per  head.     One 


'16  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

thousand  head  will  make  $2000 — just  the  income  that 
I  want."  And  that  is  just  where  he  is  making  a  great 
mistake.  In  the  first  place,  no  one  man,  not  even  an 
expert,  can  properly  take  care  of  1000  hens.  Conse- 
quently, he  will  have  to  hire  labor.  To  keep  down  the 
expense  he  will  naturally  hire  a  cheap,  inexperienced 
man.  This  man's  ignorance  of  the  business,  coupled 
with  the  lack  of  practical  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the 
owner,  will  soon  be  the  origin  of  a  multitude  of  mis- 
takes and  final  failure.  The  cheap  man  will  be  a  dear 
one. 

If  an  expert  is  employed,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
divide  that  $2000  profit  with  him,  and  as  this  would 
mean  that  the  hired  man  was  getting  as  much  money 
as  the  owner,  and  did  not  have  the  risks  to  run,  it 
would  not  be  long  before  the  arrangement  would  be 
cut  short,  and  the  owner,  who  by  this  time  probably  has 
had  a  little  experience,  is  now  at  that  stage  when  he 
thinks  himself  fully  capable  of  doing  the  work  him- 
self "just  as  good  as  this  costly  man" — and  in  less  than 
a  year  the  plant  is  for  sale.  In  the  second  place  poul- 
try in  large  numbers  do  not  receive  the  proper  care. 
In  small  lots  they  are  divided  up  into  families  in  sep- 
arate runs.  The  successful  poulterers  seldom  run  more 
than  fifteen  head  in  a  flock.  There  is  no  crowding  in 
consequence,  the  condition  of  the  stock  is  noticed  each 
day  and  the  little  details  of  the  business  are  not  neg- 
lected.   All  these  matters  go  to  making  success. 

On  a  large  farm  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  give 
it  that  attention  and  the  result  is  mistakes  after  mis- 
takes will  happen,  disease  will  get  a  foothold,  and  loss 
instead  of  gain  will  be  the  outcome.  This  is  not 
hastily  written.  It  comes  from  years  of  experience  and 
close  observation.  Right  here  in  Hammonton,  N.  J., 
where  poultry  farms  sprung  up  right  and  left,  where 
the  gigantic  broiler  boom  started,  where  attempts  at 


PROFITS    IN   POULTRY  I7 

poultry  culture  in  every  line  were  begun,  and  where,  at 
one  time,  fifty  poultry  plants  were  operated — today 
but  ten  successful  ones  remain,  and  forty  monuments 
are  erected  to  the  memory  of  men  who  overestimated 
their  ability  and  capacity. 

Yet,  with  all  that,  the  fact  cannot  be  disputed  that 
a  good,  honest  living  can  be  made  on  a  poultry  farm, 
but  when  we  say  "living"  we  do  not  call  for  profes- 
sional incomes.  We  mean  the  equal  of  the  wages  re- 
ceived by  the  average  mechanics.  Our  observation  has 
taught  us  that  300  hens,  properly  cared  for,  and 
the  egg  crops  partly  used  for  broilers,  will  be  more 
profitable  than  a  larger  concern,  excepting  probably 
500  hens  kept  for  egg  farming  exclusively. 

It  costs  about  fifteen  cents  a  pound  to  produce  a 
marketable  broiler,  and  the  average  profit  on  a  broiler 
is  about  ten  cents  a  pound.  Where  part  of  the  time  is 
to  be  consumed  in  broiler  raising,  not  more  than  300 
hens  should  be  kept.  This  will  give  all  the  work  a  man 
and  a  good  boy  can  perform.  That  number  of  hens 
would  run  from  three  to  five  200-egg  incubators  stead- 
ily and  leave  a  large  lot  of  eggs  over  for  market  pur- 
poses. Three  hundred  hens  would  lay  from  100  to  150 
eggs  a  day.  To  run  three  200-egg  incubators  steadily 
would  require  about  thirty  eggs  a  day,  leaving  from 
seventy  to  120  left  for  sale  in  market. 

Three  200-egg  incubators  run  regularly  should 
produce  from  300  to  400  chicks  every  three  weeks. 
These,  however,  will  not  all  be  raised  to  broiler  size, 
but  supposing  that  only  100  pounds  can  be  marketed 
each  week,  there  would  be  an  income  of  $10  a  week, 
clean  money.  Also,  supposing  that  only  seventy  eggs 
a  day  could  be  sold,  that,  at  an  average  price  of  two 
cents  each,  would  give  $9.80  a  week.  Therefore,  we 
are  safe  in  saying  that  from  $15  to  $20  a  week  can  be 


l8  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

made  from  300  hens,  when  the  egg  and  broiler  busi- 
ness is  combined,  and  when  it  is  rightly  managed. 

To  erect  a  plant  sufficiently  equipped  to  carry  on 
a  business  like  that  just  mentioned,  will  require  about 
$1200  for  hen  and  brooding  houses,  incubators,  brood- 
ers and  general  supplies,  and  it  would  cost,  in  addition, 
from  $1.50  to  $2  per  head  for  the  poultry.  Three 
hundred  head  at  $1.50  would  need  $450.  This  would 
give  a  total  cost  of  $1650,  but  there  must  be  money 
for  feed  and  money  to  pay  the  hired  boy,  as  well  as 
money  to  maintain  the  owner.  We  should  not  advise 
the  attempt  to  be  made  with  a  capital  less  than  $2000. 
It  will  take  several  weeks  before  the  hens  become  rec- 
onciled to  their  new  quarters  and  start  in  laying,  and  it 
will  take  another  several  weeks  until  the  machinery 
etc.,  can  be  arranged  for  incubation,  and  the  hens  give 
enough  eggs  to  start  the  incubators.  Then  it  will  be 
three  weeks  before  the  first  hatch,  and  from  fourteen 
to  sixteen  weeks  before  the  first  shipment  of  broilers. 

The  income,  however,  will  begin  on  a  small  scale 
after  the  hens  have  started  in  to  do  steady  laying — 
say,  a  month  after  being  domiciled — and  it  will  keep 
them  busy  for  a  week  to  fill  the  three  machines.  Then, 
after  that,  say,  the  sixth  week  after  starting,  there  will 
be  table  eggs  for  sale.  All  these  matters  have  to  be 
fully  considered  before  starting. 

Now,  in  all  this,  we  are  assuming  that  the  man 
knows  his  business,  for  a  novice  could  not  secure  this 
success  without  experience.  Therefore  the  best  plan 
is  to  begin  in  a  small  way.  Start  with  .100  hens  and 
one  incubator;  next  year  make  it  206 -hens  and  two 
incubSttors ;  ■  and  the  third  year  300  hens  and  three 
incubators.  In, this  w^y-- the  wOrk  can  be  gradually 
done,  and  the  e:$erience  will  come  in  the  same  way. 
In  running  three  incubators  it  would  be  best  to  start 
one  each  week,  and  in  that  way,  after  rightly  started, 


PROFITS   IN   POULTRY 


A9 


there  would  be  a  hatch  due  and  a  batch  of  broilers 
marketed  each  week.  It  would  keep  the  machinery 
moving  nicely. 

If  this  work  is  carefully  mapped  out,  and  worked 
with  a  system,  we  certainly  can  predict  a  good,  honest 
living  for  a  good,  honest  man  (or  woman). — [Michael 
K.  Boyer  in  American  Poultry  Journal. 


CHAPTER  II 
The  Gare  of  Poultry 

THE  COST  OF  PRODUCING  EGGS 

There  is  as  much  difference  between  hens  as  there 
is  between  dairy  cows,  is  the  result  of  a  co-operative 
test  made  by  the  Cornell  experiment  station  of  New 
York  in  the  cost  of  producing  eggs.  This  experiment 
was  started  in  December,  1901,  and  carried  on  for  four 
months.  The  tests  were  continued  during  the  winter 
of  1902-3,  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  H.  H.  Wing, 
and  the  result  shows  a  great  similarity  in  many  respects 
with  those  of  the  first  year.  Eleven  flocks  in  various 
parts  of  the  state,  in  which  were  included  3133  hens 
and  pullets,  participated  in  the  experiment. 

The  food  was  reckoned  at  a  uniform  price,  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  actual  cost  to  consumers.  The  fowls 
were  credited  for  the  eggs  on  the  basis  of  highest 
weekly  New  York  quotations  for  fresh  eggs.  The 
experiment  began  December  i  and  closed  ]\Iarch  28, 
and  was  divided  into  four  periods. 

A  careful  study  of  the  figures  presented  by  Prof. 
Wing  shows  that  the  cost  of  eggs  is  influenced 
more  by  the  individuality  of  the  fowls  than  by  the 
food  used.  The  difference  in  the  cost  of  food  for  the 
flock  that  produced  the  eggs  at  the  lowest  cost  and  that 
which  produced  eggs  at  the  highest  cost  was  only  four 
cents  per  100  fowls.  The  flock  fed  at  lowest  food 
cost  ranked  among  the  highest  in  cost  of  eggs ;  on  the 
other  hand  some  of  the  fowls  that  were  fed  at  a  rela- 
tively high  cost  produced  eggs  the  cheapest.  There 
was  no  marked  difference  between  the  number  of  eggs 


THE   CARE   OF  POULTRY  21 

laid  by  hens  and  pullets.  The  following  table  shows 
the  breed  and  age  of  fowls,  cost  of  eggs  produced,  per- 
centage of  eggs  laid  and  cost  of  food  consumed: 

COST   AND   PRODUCTION    OF   EGGS 

FoodCo8t 
Breed  Age  per  dozen  •  £ggs  I»id         f  Co«t  of  Food 

Eggs 

White    Leghorn puUets  8.5c  38.  |32.06 

White    Leghorn pullets  ..    8.7  36.1  31.28 

White    Leghorn pullets  9.3  34.1  31.63 

Mixed    pullets  10.2  34.9  35.61 

White    Leghorn pullets  11.  28.6  31.30 

White    Leghorn pullets  11.2  26.8  30. 

Mixed    mixed  11.3  34.9  39.07 

White    Leghorn mixed  13.6  26.8  36.16 

White    Leghorn pullets  13.5  29.9  40.31 

White    Leghorn pullets  14.2  24.1  33.91 

White    Leghorn hens  14.6  21.6  31.26 

Plymouth    Rock pullets  16.2  30.8  49.51 

Mixed    mixed  16.3  17.7  28.62 

White    Leghorn hens  16.4  24.8  40.36 

White    Leghorn pullets  16.7  18.6  30.84 

White    Leghorn hens  17.3  18.5  21.66 

Mixed    puUets  17.6  18.1  31.71 

Black    Minorca pullets  17.6  21.7  37.92 

White    Leghorn hens  18.1  17.2  30.86 

Mixed    hens  18.7  19.2  35.64 

White    Leghorn hens  19.5  16.  31.02 

Brown     Leghorn hens  20.3  14.6  29.46 

Brown     Leghorn pullets  20.5  20.6  41.88 

Black      Minorca  -  White 

Wyandotte     mixed  23.3  19.4  44.78 

Mixed mixed  21.1                    9.5  17.58 

x'lymouth     Rock-Wyan- 
dotte       hens  30.  16.6  49.38 

Black     Minorca hens  32.  16.3  51.94 

Black    Minorca pullets  32.1  16.4  52.20 

Black    Minorca hens  33.9                     9.3  31.32 

Reducing  Cost  of  Eggs — Eggs  have  cost  me  the 
most  when  I  have  kept  the  hens  too  much  on  grain 
rations.  I  believe  I  can  reduce  the  cost  of  eggs  nearly 
one-half  by  feeding  less  grain  and  in  its  place  giving 
cut  clover,  cut  meat  and  bone  and  vegetables  both 
cooked  and  green.  Feed  them  the  morning  mash  of 
bran  middlings  and  corn  meal  but  only  enough  to 
partly  satisfy  them.  Keep  the  cut  clover  and  meat 
in  boxes  so  made  that  they  cannot  get  in  to  scratcli 
them  out;  also  shells  and  grit.  Cover  a  little  small 
grain  with  litter  to  inHuce  them  to  exercise  and  make 
the  house  warm  and  light. 

*Per  100  fowls  per  day.     tPer  100  fowls  for  17  weeks. 


22  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

Do  not  overcrowd.  In  my  own  rooms  which  are 
thirteen  feet  square  I  can  get  more  eggs  in  the  winter 
from  fifteen  hens  than  I  can  from  forty  and  save  more 
than  half  the  expense  for  feed.  I  keep  no  cockerels 
among  my  laying  hens,  where  eggs  are  sold  for  con- 
sumption, but  keep  one  in  a  room  of  thoroughbreds 
whose  eggs  are  wanted  for  incubation. 

I  want  no  hens  older  than  two  years  and  I  want 
Ilets  hatched  in  March  and  April,  so  they  will  com- 
mence laying  in  the  fall.  I  want  no  stock  that  when 
well  fed  and  cared  for  is  not  in  condition  to  lay  eggs 
in  the  winter.  To  further  widen  the  margin  of  profit 
I  try  to  market  my  eggs  where  I  can  get  above  market 
quotations  for  them,  and  I  certainly  cannot  afford  to 
sell  eggs  at  the  country  stores  when  I  have  fine  stock. 

Keep  the  breed  of  hens  that  lay  the  kind  of  eggs 
your  market  demands  and  grade  as  to  size  and  color, 
then  pack,  clean,  strictly  fresh  eggs  and  ship  them  to  a 
reliable  grocer  or  commission  dealer,  and  you  can  soon 
establish  a  trade  for  fancy  eggs  at  fancy  prices. — 
[W.  H.  Jenkins,  Delaware  County,  N.  Y. 

English  Laying  Competition — Every  year  there 
are  two  poultry  clubs  in  England  which  hold  open  lay- 
ing competitions.  Four  pullets  of  the  present  year's 
hatch  are  penned  for  a  period  of  sixteen  weeks  begin- 
ning October  i6  and  ending  February  4.  These  are 
placed  under  the  management  and  control  of  one  man, 
who  does  all  the  feeding,  etc.  The  reports  of  a  recent 
contest  by  the  Utility  poultry  club  and  the  Burnley 
society  are  here  given : 

UTILITY    POULTRY    CLUB    LAYING    COMPETITION 


a, 

Bleed 

latmo 

2d  mo        3d  mo 

4th  mo 

, Total , 

Eggs         PolnU 

Orde. 
merit 

1 

Buff 

Orpington     . 

...17 

18 

28 

9 

72 

144 

15 

2 

White    Leghorn     . 

17 

50 

43 

110 

220 

9 

3 

BufE 

Orpington     . 

!!!     20 

7 

28 

38 

93 

186 

12 

4 

White    Leghorn    . 

...13 

44 

17 

31 

105 

208 

11 

5 

Buff 

Orpington     • 

•  ..    .24 

54 

44 

42 

164 

328 

3 

THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  23 

ICa  I      •  8gg«  ■   ^        i—ToM        ,         Order 

fm  BtteS  Ist  mo     2d  mo       Sd  mo      4th  mo         Egga        Points         merit 

6  White    Leghorn    24  65  50  46  185  362  2 

7  Silver    Wyandotte    .  .  20  15  41  48  124  244  6 

8  Minorca     11  33  9  34  87  172  14 

9  Golden  Wyandotte   . .  65  44  36  55  200  397  1 

10  Minorca     —  1  —  33  34  68  20 

11  White   Wyandotte    ..20  13  15  66  114  222  8 

12  Buff   Leghorn    4  15  43  51  113  223  7 

13  Barred  Rock    —  16  23  19  58  115  17 

14  Ancona     —  3  16  50  69  136  16 

15  Buff    Rock    28  5  34  40  107  213  10 

16  Ancona     30  52  18  43  143  281  5 

17  Black   Rock    3  16  12  20  51  100  18 

18  Ancona     —  18  28  44  90  178  13 

19  Faverolles     —  3  17  15  35  70  19 

20  White    Leghorn    40  44  37  43  164  328  3 

Total     319      483      546     770      2118 

N.    B. — In    scoring,    an    egg    weighing    up    to    1%    ounces 
counted   one  point;   above   that   weight,    two  points. 

The  Burnley  society  reckoned  one  point  for  an  egg 
weighing  up  to  one  and  one-half  ounces;  above  this 
weight  two  points.  Each  soft-shelled  tgg  was  dis- 
qualified. In  previous  competitions  of  the  Utility  club, 
the  prizes  in  1897-8  went,  first  to  Black  Minorcas, 
which  laid  161  eggs ;  second,  to  Black  Minorcas,  with 
149  eggs;  third,  to  Langshans,  with  146  eggs;  in 
1898-9,  Buff  Leghorns,  154  eggs;  Barred  Rocks,  146 
eggs;  Golden  Wyandottes,  133  eggs;  in  1899-00,  Silver 
Wyandottes,  22^  eggs ;  Golden  Wyandottes,  161  eggs ; 
Buff  Orpingtons,  151  eggs;  in  1 900-1,  Barred  Rocks, 
127  eggs,  Buff  Leghorns,  81  eggs ;  Lincoln  Buffs,  73 
eggs. 

BURNLEY    SOCIETY     LAYING     COMPETITION 


NO. 
Hatched       Pen 

March  1 
April     2 
April     3 
April     4 
April     5 
April     6 
April     7 

Breed                           4  wks 

Buff     Orpington.  .    23 
BufT    Leghorn     ...    40 
Silver     Wyandotte  49 
Brown     Leghorn..   — 

Barred   Rock    23 

White  Leghorn    .  .      6 

Eggs 

8  wk8        12  wks 

62        107 
73          99 
101        159 
20          70 
84        128 
28          47 
—          27 
80       161 
22          49 
12          33 

16wkB 

127 

130 

201 

114 

173 

76 

64 

210 

92 

72 

Points 

254 
260 
402 
227 
346 
152 
128 
420 
184 
144 

Oidei 
meri 

5 

4 
2 
6 
3 
8 
10 

April     8 
April     9 
April  10 

Buff   Orpington    .  .    19 
Buff    Leghorn    ...      6 
Bufe  Orpington    . .  — 

1 
7 
9 

166       482       880     1259 


24  MAKING    POULTRY   PAY 

HOW  TO  GET  EGGS  IN  WINTER 

If  the  hens  have  comfortable  houses  and  plenty  of 
food,  they  will  scarcely  know  it  is  winter.  The  natural 
conditions  under  which  hens  will  lay  must  be  looked 
into,  and  we  find  these  to  be  a  mild  temperature,  vari- 
ety of  food,  and  plenty  of  exercise.  Under  such  con- 
ditions hens  will  lay,  because  they  can't  help  it — and  if 
we  produce  such  conditions  in  winter,  we  will  surely 
get  eggs,  especially  from  early  hatched  pullets. 

The  first  requisite  is  comfortable  houses,  which 
may  be  designed  according  to  fancy,  but  should  open 
to  the  south.  The  house  can  be  made  warmer  by  the 
addition  of  building  paper  or  plastering  the  room, 
which  should  be  whitewashed  at  least  twice  a  year. 
A  good  tight  floor  is  desired,  one  through  which  no 
drafts  can  enter.  Always  bear  in  mind  while  building 
that  your  house  must  be  free  from  drafts,  and  warm, 
so  warm  that  water  will  not  freeze  in  it.  The  hens 
must  be  kept  comfortable  and  dry,  with  some  place  to 
exercise,  and  plenty  and  a  variety  of  good  nourishing 
food  that  will  go  to  aid  in  creating  eggs. 

An  Qgg  is  composed  of  all  the  elements  that  sustain 
life,  and  unless  the  hens  are  supplied  with  these  ele- 
ments, they  can  no  more  furnish  eggs  than  a  cow  can 
furnish  a  large  supply  of  milk  on  insufficient  food.  Not 
only  is  the  carbonaceous  material  required  for  the  yolk, 
but  the  nitrogenous  matter  composing  the  white  of  the 
egg  is  essential.  Wheat  and  oats  come  nearer  furnish- 
ing a  perfect  food  than  any  other  grains,  because  they 
not  only  furnish  the  elements  named,  but  also  mineral 
elements  which  must  also  be  supplied.  Clover  (and 
alfalfa)  has  now  come  to  be  recognized  as  an  excellent 
egg  producing  food,  as  it  is  rich  in  lime  and  other  egg 
forming  materials.  In  the  winter  this  can  best  be  fed 
by  chopping  into   short  lengths,   place   in  a  tub   or 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  25 

bucket,  pour  boiling  water  over  it,  and  allow  to  stand 
till  morning.  Mix  with  bran,  shorts,  meal,  a  little  salt, 
and  feed  warm.  Oats  should  be  scalded  and  fed  same 
as  clover,  as  the  sharp  points  of  the  oats  in  the  dry- 
state  are  likely  to  injure  the  fowls.  Wheat  can  be 
scalded  or  fed  dry  in  scratching  pens;  and  note  the 
pleasure  it  gives  the  hens  with  their  bright  red  combs, 
merrily  singing  and  scratching  for  grain.  Chopped 
clover  is  an  ideal  litter  for  scratching  pens,  as  it  fur- 
nishes food  also.  The  chaffy  fodder  and  shelled  corn 
picked  up  where  corn  has  been  "shredded,"  makes 
good  litter  also,  the  fodder  supplying  green  food,  as 
they  will  eat  much  of  it. 

Feed  plentifully  of  green  food.  A  cabbage  head 
hung  up  every  day  where  the  fowls  will  have  to  take 
exercise  in  jumping  to  reach  it;  small  potatoes  and 
turnips  chopped  and  fed  raw,  or  together  with  all 
parings,  cooked  and  mixed  with  morning  or  evening 
mash,  will  supply  green  food.  All  kinds  of  roots  such 
as  mangels,  sugar  beets,  carrots,  etc.,  are  excellent. 
Keep  charcoal  and  gravel  mixed  with  lime  by  them 
all  the  time.  An  occasional  mess  of  parched  corn  is 
feeding  charcoal  in  a  valuable  form.  Mashed  or  cut 
bone  and  meat  scraps  should  be  fed  to  take  the  place 
of  bugs,  etc.,  which  is  one  of  the  natural  foods  in 
summer.  Milk,  acorns  and  all  nuts  are  valuable  as 
food.  Supply  plenty  of  water  that  has  the  chill  re- 
moved.  Fowls  will  drink  lots  of  water  if  it  is  where 
they  can  get  it;  as  the  egg  contains  some  water,  it 
is  necessary  that  the  fowls  have  plenty. 

The  large  breeds  require  somewhat  different  treat- 
ment from  the  small  fowls.  Being  large  and  heavy, 
they  are  naturally  inclined  to  be  indolent  and  inactive, 
so  the  more  necessary  to  devise  means  to  make  them 
exercise,  the  exercise  helping  in  digesting  their  food, 
and  keeping  them  warm,  which  is  an  important  factor 


2^  MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 

in  ^gg  production.  By  no  means  keep  the  lazy  hens 
of  any  breed,  for  a  lazy  hen  is  not  a  good  &gg  producer. 
Keep  the  ones  that  molt  early  for  winter  layers,  and 
avoid  crowding.  Hens  having  the  range  of  the  farm 
do  not  need  as  much  attention  as  those  confined  in 
pens.  Do  not  leave  chickens  to  shift  for  them- 
selves until  the  cold  bleak  days  are  here,  but  give  them 
attention  all  the  time  (they  do  not  need  so  much  during 
the  warm  months  when  nature  supplies  their  wants), 
especially  during  the  molting  season,  when  they  need 
plenty  and  a  variety  of  good  wholesome  food  to  supply 
the  extra  demand  made  upon  them.  At  all  times  en- 
deavor to  keep  the  hens  busy,  comfortable,  happy  and 
cheerful. 

Every  successful  poultry  keeper  has  worked  out  a 
way  of  feeding  and  care  which  is  best  for  him.  He 
might  not  be  successful  with  the  methods  which  bring 
good  results  for  another.  The  following  plan  of  feed- 
ing has  been  quite  satisfactory  with  one  good  poultry 
keeper  who  makes  his  living  from  hens.  He  says: 
*'I  mix  bran  middlings  and  corn  meal  in  about  equal 
parts,  putting  in  a  tablespoonful  of  ground  bone  to 
every  two  quarts,  and  season  the  mash  with  a  little 
rait  and  pepper  and  wet  up  the  mixture  with  hot  milk, 
when  I  have  it.  In  the  morning,  I  feed  this  mash  to 
the  hens,  and  give  them  only  what  they  will  eat  up  at 
once,  but  not  enough  to  quite  satisfy  them.  I  then 
scatter  a  few  handfuls  of  grain,  using  wheat,  oats  and 
buckwheat  for  a  variety,  on  the  floor,  and  cover  it  with 
leaves,  chaflF,  or  other  loose  litter.  This  is  done  several 
times  a  day  to  induce  the  hens  to  scratch  for  the  grain 
and  thus  get  plenty  of  exercise.  In  the  coldest  weather, 
I  feed  them  boiled  corn  at  night.  I  give  them  warm 
water  to  drink  and  keep  cut  clover,  meat  and  bone,  grit 
and  shells  in  boxes  so  made  that  they  cannot  get  into 
them  to  scratch  them  out.     I  hang  up  cabbages  and 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  2J 

chop  up  the  celery  trimming  to  keep  them  supplied 
with  green  food.  I  try  to  give  them  the  kind  of  food 
that  hens  naturally  seek  when  on  a  large  range  in 
summer.  Then  furnish  them  a  warm  house  and  make 
them  work  for  a  part  of  their  living." 

Egg-eating  is  a  habit  more  easily  prevented  than 
cured.  Give  the  hens  plenty  of  exercise,  with  a  variety 
of  food.  Gather  the  eggs  frequently,  provide  sufficient 
nesting  places  and  keep  one  or  more  porcelain  eggs 
upon  the  floor  of  the  house.  Dark  nests  are  advisable, 
and  a  meat  diet  is  excellent.  To  cure  the  habit  provide 
dark  nests  and  add  meat  to  the  food.  Remove  one  end 
from  several  eggs  and  pour  out  the  contents.  Make  a 
mixture  of  flour,  ground  mustard  and  red  pepper,  add- 
ing a  little  water  to  hold  the  materials  together.  Fill 
the  shells  and  place  upon  the  floor  of  the  henhouse. 
The  hens  will  make  a  wild  scramble  for  these  prepared 
eggs,  will  gobble  down  some  of  the  contents,  and  will 
soon  be  gasping  with  open  beaks.  Follow  up  this 
treatment  until  the  hens  refuse  to  touch  an  egg.  It 
seems,  and  perhaps  is  somewhat  severe,  but  no  perma- 
nent ill  effects  will  follow.  The  hens  will  soon  learn 
that  eggs  are  not  so  palatable  as  they  regarded  them, 
and  will  desist  from  the  bad  habit.  Positive  cures 
have  followed  this  method.  Another  is  to  cut  off  the 
end  of  the  upper  beak,  making  it  blunt  by  paring  back 
near  the  quick.  Probably  the  best  way  to  prevent 
egg-eating  is  to  use  one  of  the  simple  automatic  nest 
boxes  that  are  now  becoming  so  popular.  These  nest 
boxes  are  necessarily  dark.  Only  one  hen  can  get  in  at  a 
time,  and  after  getting  in  the  hen  can  only  get  out 
into  another  compartment.  Once  here  she  cannot  get 
back  to  the  egg.  It  would  take  a  pretty  clever  hen 
to  beat  a  mechanical  contrivance  of  this  sort.  With 
darks  nests  there  is  no  temptation  to  scratch  and  eggs 
seldom  ^et  broken.'  If  they  do  get  broken  it  is  so  dark 


28  MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 

that  there  is  Httle  likelihood  of  the  hen  eating-  the  egg 
before  it  is  discovered  and  removed.  It  is  a  wise  plan 
to  collect  the  eggs  on  each  of  the  regular  trips  through 
the  poultry  house  and  to  put  them  in  a  place  of  safety 
where  they  are  not  likely  to  be  broken, 

Brozi'u  vs.  White  Eggs — Why  are  brown  eggs 
more  salable  than  white  ones  ?  Most  people  will  answer, 
because  they  are  richer.  How  many  people  blind- 
folded could  tell  the  difference  in  taste  between  a  white 
egg  and  a  brown  one?  I  doubt  if  it  could  be  done  with 
more  accuracy  than  one  can  call  heads  or  tails  to  a 
properly  tossed  coin.  An  interesting  experiment  was 
recently  carried  out  to  test  the  physical  and  chemical 
composition  of  eggs.  A  large  number  of  breeds  were 
chosen,  and  several  hundred  eggs  dealt  with.  The 
brown  eggs  were  laid  by  Cochins,  Dark.  Brahmas, 
Black  Langshans  Wyandottes  and  Barred  Plymouth 
Rocks;  the  white  ones  by  Brown  and  Buff  Leghorns, 
White  and  Black  Minorcas,  and  the  tests  showed  the 
following : 

PHYSICAL  DIFFERENCE   BETWEEN   BROWN    SHELLED   AND 
WHITE  SHELLED  EGGS 

AVERAGE  Brown  White  All  the  egga 

Weight    (in    grains)     59.4  62.9  G1..3 

Length   (in  inches)    2.27  2.27  2.27 

Width    (in   inches)     1.69  1.76  1.72 

Specific    gravity     1.0S2  1.058  1.070 

Number  eggs  to  pound   7.67  7.32  7.50 

SheU     (per    cent) 10.70  10.92  10.81 

Edihle  portion  Per  cent  Per  cent  Per  cent 

Yolk     31.76  33.18  32.47 

White      57.54  55.90  56.72 

Total   edible  parts    89.30  89.08  86.19 

Brown  White  All  the  egga 

THE  CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  SHOWED  Percent  Percent  !er  >.ent 

Water     11.84  11.92  11.82 

Protein     10.77  11.22  11.00 

Fat     64               .67  .66 

Ash     10.70  10.92  10.81 

Shell      

99.52  99.52  99.47 

670  690  680 

CaioiieB  Calories  Calories 

Food  value  per  pound    64.57          64.79          65.18 


THE   CARE   OF   POULTRY  29 

The  food  value  of  the  white  shelled  eggs  was 
therefore  slightly  the  greater.  Taking  all  points  into 
consideration,  there  is  nothing  to  choose  between  them 
in  physical  or  chemical  properties.  Yet  who  will  make 
the  average  householder  believe  it?  The  brown  shell 
is  thought  to  be  richer  than  the  white  shell;  it  has 
been  held  so  for  a  number  of  years.  They  look  prettier 
on  the  breakfast  table,  and  that  always  bears  weight; 
but  there  is  no  ground  for  believing  that  the  white  are 
less  rich  than  the  brown.  The  Boston  market  will  pay 
a  premium  for  brown  eggs ;  New  York  for  white  ones. 

THE  SEX  OF  EGGS 

The  story  is  told  of  an  English  farmer  who  asked 
his  wife  to  pick  out  a  sitting  of  eggs.  She  chose 
medium  size,  good  shaped  eggs,  but  he  rejected  all, 
saying:  "Them's  cockerels,  Alartha."  Instead  he 
picked  out  all  round  eggs.  They  hatched  eleven  chicks 
— all  cockerels. 

Another  English  poultry  keeper,  who  has  been 
working  on  this  subject  for  several  years,  thinks  he 
has  at  last  discovered  a  way  to  insure  a  large  propor- 
tion of  either  pullets  or  cockerels,  as  may  be  desired. 
He  has  given  up  all  idea  of  being  able  to  determine 
the  sex  by  the  shape  of  the  Qgg,  size  of  air  cell,  time 
of  day  it  was  laid  or  any  external  characteristics.  He 
now  thinks  the  sex  of  the  egg  is  determined  at  the 
time  of  sexual  contact  and  that  there  are  two  elements 
or  forces  which  unite,  a  positive  from  the  male  and  a 
negative  from  the  female. 

Where  the  predominating  force  is  positive,  a  male 
will  result,  and  vice  versa.  To  test  this  he  mated  in 
April  a  very  vigorous  cockerel  with  two  hens  which 
had  laid  all  winter,  with  the  object  of  getting  cockerels. 
The  hens  had  worked  hard  for  some  months  and  the 


30  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

conclusion  was  that  they  must  be  more  or  less  weak- 
ened by  it.  Thus  was  obtained  a  condition  which 
pointed  to  a  preponderance  of  the  positive  element,  and 
the  result  was  about  eighty  per  cent  cockerels. 

To  further  test  this  matter,  six  pullets,  in  the  pink 
of  condition,  were  put  in  a  pen  by  themselves  and 
every  afternoon  a  two-year-old  cock^  which  all  the 
rest  of  the  day  was  running  with  forty  hens,  was 
placed  with  them.  This  mating  resulted  in  eighty  per 
cent  of  the  chicks  coming  pullets.  Similar  matings 
have  been  practiced  by  American  breeders  for  some 
years,  and  they  have  been  able  to  obtain  a  large  per 
cent  of  pullets  or  of  cockerels,  but  not  always  as  high 
as  eighty  per  cent  as  here  mentioned. 

A  new  idea  in  breeding  for  sex  is  advanced  by 
Arthur  Wulff  according  to  the  following  translation 
from  the  German  Geilugel  Zeitung :  Of  greater  value 
than  the  statistics  of  the  human  race  is  the  record 
(well  supported  by  documentary  evidence)  of  our 
most  important  animal — the  horse.  The  considerable 
size  and  costliness  of  the  individual,  the  consequent 
easy  determination  of  identity,  the  long  period  of  ges- 
tation, the  birth  of  (invariably)  but  one  young  at  a 
time,  and  especially  the  careful  registration  of  the 
stallion's  "visits,"  combine  to  furnish  weighty  material, 
from  which  we  draw  the  conclusion  that  foals  in  cases 
where  the  mare  has  been  "covered"  in  the  evening 
(that  is  after  the  stallion  had  been  previously  used 
during  the  day)  will  generally  follow  the  sex  of  the 
mother. 

We  do  not  know  whether  this  fact,  which  is  no 
doubt  capable  of  a  plausible  explanation  (the  older 
seminal  cords  have  a  tendency  to  produce  male,  the 
younger  ones  female  offspring),  has  already  been 
noticed  in  the  poultry  world,  though  we  may  add  that 
we  alluded  to  it  two  years  ago.    At  all  events,  poultrjij 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  3I 

is  in  our  opinion  specially  adapted  to  similar  experi- 
ments, owing  to  its,  shall  we  say,  handier  size,  and 
to  its  capability  of  great  and  speedy  reproduction.  I 
beg  leave  to  adduce  two  examples  from  personal  ex- 
perience, the  first  an  accidental  case,  the  second  an 
intentional  experiment,  not  (by  a  long  way)  as  final 
proofs,  but  merely  as  links  of  a  progressive  chain  of 
evidence. 

In  1899,  in  the  midst  of  the  breeding  season  I 
bought  a  fine  Minorca  hen.  Not  wishing  to  put  her 
into  my  breeding  pen,  whose  members  had  not  visited 
any  show  since  autumn,  and  were  just  in  full  lay,  when 
the  introduction  of  a  stranger  generally  causes  a  dis- 
turbance of  acquired  conservative  habits,  I  placed  the 
fresh  arrival  in  a  small  pen.  In  the  evening  when  the 
inmates  of  the  breeding  pen  had  retired  to  rest,  I  took 
out  the  male  bird  and  put  him  into  the  run  of  the  pen, 
then  turned  out  the  stranger  hen  when  he  invariably 
attended  to  her  at  once.  From  forty  eggs  laid  by  this 
hen  and  set  I  obtained  only  pullets.  Last  year,  pro- 
ceeding on  the  same  lines,  I  got  ii%  cockerels  and 
89%  pullets.  During  the  interval  I  did  not  do  much 
breeding. 

It  is  not  so  very  difficult  to  arrange  these  matters 
with  our  poultry  as  vigorous  male  birds  are  generally 
pretty  active  throughout  the  day.  Therefore  place 
your  hens  intended  for  cockerel  breeding  into  the  run 
with  the  male  as  soon  as  they  leave  their  house  in  the 
morning,  and  remove  them  again  early.  Your  pullet 
breeding  hens  should  not  associate  with  their  ap- 
pointed mate  until  evening,  the  latter  having  been  with 
other  hens  during  the  day,  (but,  of  course,  the  special 
hens  must  not  in  the  meantime  run  with  other  cocks). 
Active  males  generally  pay  immediate  attention  to 
strangers  of  the  other  sex,  and  it  is  desirable  in  this 
present  instance  for  breeders  to  watch  the  process.    It 


32 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


is,  as  a  rule,  only  a  case  of  one,  two  or  three  hens 
specially  destined  for  the  experiment.  Should,  after 
abundant  tests,  a  real  law  of  nature  be  here  discovered, 
the  future  of  poultry  breeding  would  certainly  appear 
in  a  rosy  light.  I  am  far  from  asserting  that  the  law 
would  universally  apply,  but  we  certainly  ought  to 
try  to  find  out  if,  and  to  what  extent,  it  can  be  proved. 


SELECTING    THE    BEST    LAYERS 

Awhile  the  trap  nest  is  the  surest,  best  and  only 
reliable  means  of  picking  out  the  good  and  poor  layers 
expert  poultrymen  can,  by  the  general  appearance  and 
makeup  of  the  fowl,  tell  pretty  closely  which  are  the 
best  layers  in  the  flock.     There  is  something  in  the 


FIG.   I — A  GOOD  LAYER 


A  BAD  LAYER 


makeup  of  the  good  layers  that  is  indicative  of  quality 
to  the  expert  as  are  the  points  of  a  heavy  milking  cow 
to  the  eye  of  the  experienced  dairyman.  The  trouble 
with  most  of  us  is  that  we  are  not  expert  enough  to 
distinguish  the  points  of  the  good  layer.  Mr.  P.  A. 
Cook  in  the  Orpington  Poultry  Journal,  says  he  can 
invariably  pick  out  the  good  and  poor  layers  by  the 
shape  of  the  head.  As  an  example  he  uses  the  illustra- 
tion (Figure  i)  of  two  heads  of  Light  Brahma  hens. 
You  will  see  that  the  hen  on  the  left  has  a  thin,  clean 
cut  head,  with  bright  and  prominent  eye  and  also  a 
thin  neck.     This  is  the  good  layer.     Notice  that  both 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  33 

the  eyes  are  so  prominent  that  they  stand  out  like  the 
side  of  a  ball.  These  illustrations  were  drawn  from 
life  and  are  not  exaggerated.  In  the  bad  layer  you 
will  find  a  thick,  clumsy  head,  dull  eye,  somewhat 
sunken,  which  will  not  be  as  bright  as  the  former 
bird's  spoken  of.     She  will  also  have  a  thick  neck. 

After  reading  the  above,  some  will  probably  go  out 
into  their  poultry  yards  and  inspect  their  flock  for 
good  and  bad  layers.  If  you  do  you  must  take  into 
consideration  the  breed  or  breeds  that  you  keep ;  also 
the  age  of  the  birds.  The  reason  is  this,  such  fowls 
as  Leghorns,  Minorcas,  Anconas,  Campines,  etc.,  of 
course  will  have  a  smaller  head  than  Orpington,  Rock, 
Brahma,  etc.  This  is  because  the  former  breeds  are  so 
much  smaller  in  size.  Then  as  a  bird  gets  older  the 
head  thickens.  This  is  of  course  learnt  by  experience ; 
but  do  not  expect  a  three  year  old  hen  to  have  as  thin 
a  head  as  a  young  pullet. 

Most  people  know  that  the  first  birds  out  in  the 
morning  and  the  last  ones  to  go  to  roost  will  nearly 
always  prove  to  be  the  best  layers.  These  birds  will 
roam  further  and  if  in  confinement  will  scratch  about 
more  than  the  bad  layers  as  these  are  usually  lazy. 
Of  course  there  are  exceptions  to  all  rules. 

Of  course  the  bad  laying  fowl  will  lay  some  eggs 
but  these  will  be  produced  in  the  late  spring  and  sum- 
mer months  when  eggs  are  cheap,  but  the  good  layer 
will  produce  them  in  the  late  autumn  and  winter 
months  when  they  are  dear,  hence  ten  good  layers  are 
worth  more  than  twenty-five  bad  ones,  taking  the  cost 
of  keeping. 

To  Pick  Out  a  Layer — When  she  sheds  her 
feathers  and  we  kill  off  the  non-layers,  it  is  well  to  be 
sure  and  not  slay  a  fowl  full  of  eggs.  When  the  rear 
bones  are  wide  apart  at  the  points    below    the    tail 


34  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

feathers,  you  have  caught  a  layer.     When  they  are 
close  •together,  biddy  is  taking  a  vacation. 

SOME  EXPERIENCES  OF  AN   AMATEUR 

I  bogan  to  raise  chickens  for  my  table  and  had  no 
idea  of  any  enjoyment  in  the  business.  I  am  surprised 
to  discover  that  I  have  made  a  nice  hobby  for  my 
coming  old  age,  and  am  really  having  considerable  fun 
besides  some  little  profit.  The  chicken  business  is  a 
mere  episode  in  a  professional  life,  begun  to  produce 
fresh  eggs  and  some  food  for  my  household  of  seven 
people.  It  has  developed  into  a  pleasant  recreation.  1 
have  nearly  half  an  acre  in  a  city,  on  which  I  raise 
nothing  but  fruit  and  chickens.  I  never  mean  to 
exceed  forty-five  hens  and  five  cocks,  or  thereabouts. 
From  the  last  of  November  until  about  May  I  I  keep 
them  in  small  flocks,  and  then  let  them  run  together. 
I  think  I  know  the  best  breed.  The  all  around  fowl 
for  domestic  use  is  the  Plymouth  Rock.  I  know  more 
money  is  made  in  eggs  than  in  poultry,  and  the  Leg- 
horn is  said  to  surpass  them  in  egg-laying  capacity, 
yet,  taking  the  year  altogether,  I  have  my  doubts  of 
it.  But  when  you  kill  Leghorns  for  the  table,  com- 
pared with  the  Plymouth  Rocks  you  have  to  kill  two 
to  one,  and  the  two  are  not  much  at  that.  The 
Plymouth  Rock  makes,  in  my  judgment,  the  finest 
poultry  for  the  table  in  the  world.  Forty-five  April 
hatched  pullets  will  give  all  the  eggs  I  want  in  the 
dead  of  winter.  Never  fall  in  love  with  your  chickens, 
and  by  all  means  don't  let  the  women  of  the  house 
do  it.  Cocks  and  pullets  are  not  worth  sentiment. 
One  is  fit  for  nothing  but  to  lay  eggs  in  a  nest;  the 
other  to  lie  on  the  table  for  food.  A  hatching  and 
brooding  hen  is  interesting,  but  interest  ends  when  she 
drives  her  brood  away. — [Austin  G.  Yates,  New  York. 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  35 

Preparing  Fowls  for  the  Show  Ring — The  prep- 
aration of  show  birds  really  begins  with  the  selection 
and  mating  of  the  breeding  pen.  After  they  have 
attained  an  age  of  four  or  five  months,  when  they  give 
evidence  of  future  form,  the  best  birds  should  be 
selected,  or  the  entire  flock,  if  it  is  not  too  large,  may 
be  fed  with  the  show  ring  in  view.  Feed  them  sound, 
nutritious  food  but  not  so  as  to  fatten  them.  In  the 
morning,  give  a  warm  mash  of  cooked  meal  and  pota- 
toes; at  noon,  whole  wheat  or  buckwheat,  and  at 
night,  a  very  little  whole  corn  with  crushed  bone  and 
a  small  allowance  of  scraps  three  times  a  week.  Give 
also  two  or  three  times  a  week  some  cooked  meat  or 
fish.  Never  feed  more  than  they  will  eat  up  clean  at 
one  time.  Supply  regularly  with  pure,  fresh  water, 
and  give  milk  to  drink  if  you  have  it.  Unless  they 
have  free  range,  provide  a  large,  dry  run  and  ample 
dust  boxes. 

From  two  to  four  weeks  before  the  show,  pick  out 
as  many  birds  as  you  contemplate  exhibiting  and  two 
or  three  extra  ones.  Separate  the  sexes  and  provide 
pens  for  both,  the  floor  of  which  is  covered  with  clean, 
dry  sand  two  inches  deep.  Give  the  most  nutritious 
feed  obtainable  while  the  fowls  are  confined.  Rice 
boiled  in  milk,  is  one  of  the  best  foods,  but  whole  wheat 
is  also  excellent.  There  is  nothing  like  sunflower  seed 
to  give  the  plumage  the  rich,  brilliant  gloss  which  is  so 
attractive  in  the  show  pen.  Clean  water,  grit  and  a 
little  charcoal  must  also  be  provided. 

The  final  preparation  of  all  white  birds  is  to  wash 
and  clean  the  plumage,  which  should  be  done  the  day 
before  shipping.  Take  three  tubs  of  water,  one  hot, 
one  lukewarm  and  one  cold.  Place  the  bird  in  the  hot 
water,  which  should  be  deep  enough  to  cover  the  back 
and  come  well  up  on  the  neck.  Use  white  castile  soap 
and  make  a  good  suds,  then  rub  the  bird  well  with  the 


^6  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

soap  on  all  the  dirty  parts,  rubbing  the  feathers  hard, 
but  not  so  as  to  break  them.  Give  the  bird  a  good 
washing  and  then  rinse  in  the  lukewarm  water,  being 
sure  to  get  out  all  the  soap  and  dirty  water.  Add 
enough  bluing  to  the  cold  water  to  give  the  feathers  a 
nice  appearance.  Clean  the  beak  and  legs  and  place 
the  bird  in  a  clean  box  with  cut  rye  straw  or  excelsior 
in  the  bottom,  placing  it  by  the  stove.  With  a  soft 
sponge,  bathe  the  wattles,  face  and  comb  with  a  little 
alcohol,  which  will  give  them  a  rich,  red  color.  The 
shanks  and  feet  may  be  rubbed  lightly  with  a  little 
sweet  oil,  taking  care  not  to  get  on  so  much  that  the 
dust  will  settle  on  them  and  make  them  look  grimy.  A 
little  butter  color  will  deepen  the  shade  of  yellow- 
legged  birds. 

As  a  rule,  few  exhibitors  know  or  care  about  all 
the  little  tricks  and  so-called  mysteries  so  often  re- 
ferred to  in  the  columns  of  the  fanciers'  papers.  A 
few  undoubtedly  attempt  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but 
the  greater  part  of  the  men  who  exhibit  successfully 
are  content  to  send  a  good  bird  away  with  no  more 
preparation  than  is  necessary  to  make  it  a  clean 
healthy  bird,  with  a  short  course  of  such  dieting  as  is 
necessary  to  enable  it  to  stand  the  confinement  of  a 
show  coop  for  five  or  six  days.  This  reasonable 
method  of  getting  birds  ready  to  show  is  certainly  not 
difficult,  and  any  breeder  who  woukf  like  to  exhibit  as 
well  as  to  raise  market  fowls,  will  find  little  trouble  in 
catering  to  his  desires  in  this  respect. 

Bringing  Birds  up  to  JV eight — Last  year  I  had 
two  clutches  of  eggs  hatched  out  May  i8  and  one  June 
2.  The  result  was  thirteen  fine  Light  Brahma  chicks. 
I  also  had  chicks  hatched  in  March  and  April  and  of 
these  later  hatched  I  wish  particularly  to  speak.  Lay- 
ing aside  the  hard  boiled  egg  ration  after  the  first  day, 
I  fed  stale  bread  soaked  in  water  and  pressed  dry 


THE   CARE   OF   POULTRY 


Z7 


before  feeding.  The  hens  were  kept  in  a  small  grass 
run  for  the  first  ten  days,  after  which  they  had  the  lib- 
erty of  a  fifty-foot  square  pen  with  plenty  of  grass. 
The  chicks  could  run  out  on  the  lawn.  From  the  time 
they  were  a  week  old  until  the  first  of  September  their 
principal  feed  was  millet  seed,  whole  wheat  and  bran, 
with  plenty  of  fresh  water  constantly  before  them,  also 
cut  bone.  After  September  i  a  mash  was  fed  every 
morning,  consisting  of  two  parts  bran  to  one  part  each 
of  shorts  and  corn  meal,  by  weight.  To  every  ten 
pounds  of  this  mixture  one  pound  of  deodorized 
blood  meal  was  added. 

Two  quarts  of  this  mixture  was  scalded  each 
evening,  and  fed  as  a  morning  mash  to  twenty-five 
chicks.  Nothing  more  was  given  until  roosting  time, 
when  they  were  fed  all  the  whole  corn  or  wheat  that 
they  would  eat.  During  the  day  they  had  about  the 
usual  range  of  town  reared  birds.  At  eight  months  of 
age  the  heaviest  cockerel  weighed  twelve  pounds  and 
the  lightest  nine  and  one-half  pounds.  The  pullets 
weighed  from  seven  and  a  half  to  nine  pounds.  As 
little  chicks  they  were  never  allowed  out  in  the  morn- 
ing till  the  dew  was  ofif  the  grass.  They  were  fed  sys- 
tematically, and  as  near  the  same  time  each  day  as 
possible.  I  believe  a  single  feed  missed  will  tell  on  the 
growth  of  a  chick. 

Constant  vigilance  is  the  price  of  a  show  bird  or  a 
good  sized  specimen  for  the  breeding  pens.  My 
earlier  hatched  birds  were  no  larger  than  the  later 
ones,  with  the  same  care ;  and  I  do  not  think  much  is 
made  in  this  cold  northwest  in  hatching  chicks  before 
May,  at  least.  Get  a  chick  out  after  the  cold  changeable 
weather  and  spring  rains,  and  then  push  him  right 
along  with  good  care,  regular  and  systematic  feeding, 
and  the  work  is  done. — [Rev.  J.  M.  Acheson  in  West- 
ern Poultry  Journal. 


38  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Forced  Molting — When  a  specialty  is  made  of 
winter  eggs,  it  is  of  much  importance  to  have  the  hens 
shed  their  feathers  early  in  the  fall,  so  that  the  new 
plumage  may  be  grown  before  cold  weather  begins.  In 
case  molting  is  much  delayed,  and  it  will  be  delayed  if 
fowls  are  fed  heavily  for  eggs  during  the  summer,  the 
production  of  the  new  coat  of  feathers  in  cold  weather 
is  such  a  drain  on  the  vitality,  that  few  eggs  are  laid 
until  spring.  If  the  molt  takes  place  earlier  the  fowls 
would  be  in  good  condition  for  winter  laying  and 
yearling  hens  will  produce  as  many  eggs  as  early 
hatched  pullets.  A  method  of  forced  molting  has  been 
worked  out  very  successfully  by  Henry  Van  Dreser,  a 
New  York  poultry  keeper.  Briefly  stated  it  consists  in 
confining  the  fowls  in  yards  during  August  and  with- 
holding two-thirds  of  their  feed  for  two  weeks.  This 
stops  tgg  production  in  a  few  days,  reduces  the  weight 
of  the  fowls,  and  then  heavy  feeding  on  a  ration  suit- 
able for  the  formation  of  feathers  causes  a  quick  molt, 
and  a  general  building  up  of  the  system. 

Picking  fowls  to  help  molting  is  practiced  and  rec- 
ommended by  some  poultry  keepers.  During  July  and 
August  when  the  hens  have  fully  matured  their  feath- 
ers and  are  inclined  to  be  broody,  they  may  be  picked 
the  same  as  one  would  pick  geese  or  ducks.  The 
feathers  are  very  fine  to  use,  and  the  operation  hastens 
the  molting  season  so  that  fowls  are  ready  to  lay  in 
early  October.  In  addition  to  the  regular  food,  which 
should  be  made  up  largely  of  wheat  and  oats,  either 
ground  or  whole,  a  little  sulphur  will  be  of  great  help 
in  the  formation  of  feathers.  Skimmilk,  meat  meal 
and  an  abundant  supply  of  green  stuff  should  also  be 
given. 

The  growth  of  a  new  crop  of  feathers  is  a  severe 
drain  on  the  vitality,  and  even  when  it  occurs  naturally 
fowls  should  have  extra  feed  and  care.     The  grain 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  39 

ration  should  be  increased  a  third,  andT;he  fowls  pro- 
tected at  night  from  drenching  rains  and  severe 
storms. 

The  Care  of  Poultry  Manure — The  dung  of  fowls 
is  a  highly  nitrogenous  manure,  and  should  be  carefully 
used  and  saved.  Most  of  the  nitrogen  is  in  the  form 
of  uric  acid,  and  is  very  readily  available  to  growing 
■plants.  Weight  for  weight,  the  droppings  of  the  hen 
roost  are  not  nearly  as  valuable  as  guano,  but  are 
worth  much  more  than  ordinary  barn  manure.  Unless 
properly  preserved,  the  nitrogen  is  easily  lost.  Roosts 
should  have  tight  platforms  under  them,  which  should 
be  cleaned  weekly,  or  oftener,  and  the  accumulated 
droppings  mixed  with  a  suitable  absorbent  and  irept 
under  cover.  By  itself  hen  manure  is  a  one-sided 
nitrogenous  fertilizer,  and  as  usually  managed  half  or 
more  of  its  nitrogen  is  lost.  As  both  acid  phosphate 
and  kainit  prevent  the  loss  of  nitrogen  when  mixed 
with  manure,  it  is  possible  to  use  them  in  connection 
with  sawdust  or  some  other  dry  material,  as  an  absorb- 
ent, so  as  to  make  a  well-balanced  fertilizer.  Good  dry 
loam  will  answer  very  nicely  for  this  purpose.  This 
material  should  be  spread  freely  on  the  roosting  plat- 
forms. For  example,  a  mixture  of  thirty  pounds  hen 
manure,  ten  pounds  sawdust,  sixteen  pounds  acid 
phosphate  and  eight  pounds  kainit  would  carry  about 
one  and  one-fourth  per  cent  nitrogen,  four  and  one- 
half  per  cent  phosphoric  acid  and  two  per  cent  potash. 
Kainit  or  acid  phosphate  by  itself  makes  the  manure 
quite  sticky. 

Whitewash — Poultry  houses  and  coops  should  be 
whitewashed  inside  and  out.  All  the  nest  boxes  and 
other  fixtures  should  receive  a  coating.  The  ordinary 
lime  and  water  wash  has  the  disadvantage  of  easilv 
washing  off,  and  also  sticking  to  and  marking  one's 
clothes  or  whatever  rubs  against  it.     Here  are  some 


40  MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 

excellent  recipes  for  making  whitewash  that  will  not 
rub  off : 

Slake  in  boiling  water  one-half  bushel  of  lime, 
keeping  it  just  fairly  covered  with  water  during  the 
process.  Strain  it  to  remove  the  sediment  that  will  fall 
to  the  bottom,  and  add  to  it  a  peck  of  salt  dissolved  in 
warm  water.  Mix  the  different  ingredients  thoroughly 
and  let  the  mixture  stand  for  several  days.  When 
ready  to  use  apply  it  hot.  If  a  less  quantity  is  desired, 
use  the  same  proportions. 

A  good  whitewash  for  use  upon  outside  work: 
Slake  in  boiling  water  one-half  bushel  of  lime,  and 
strain  as  before.  Add  to  this  two  pounds  of  sulphate 
of  zinc  and  one  pound  of  salt  dissolved  in  water.  If 
any  color  but  white  is  desired,  add  about  three  pounds 
of  the  desired  coloring  matter,  such  as  painters  use  in 
preparing  their  paints.  Yellow  ochre  will  make  a 
beautiful  cream  color,  and  browns,  reds  and  various 
shades  of  green  are  equally  easily  obtained. 

An  excellent  wash,  lasting  almost  as  well  as  ordi- 
nary paint :  Slake  in  boiling  water  one-half  bushel  of 
lime.  Strain  so  as  to  remove  all  sediment.  Add  two 
pounds  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  one  pound  common  salt  and 
one-half  pound  whiting,  thoroughly  dissolved.  Mix  to 
proper  consistency  with  skimmed  milk,  and  apply  hot. 
If  white  is  not  desired,  add  enough  coloring  matter  to 
produce  the  desired  shade.  Those  who  have  tried  this 
recipe  consider  it  much  superior,  both  in  appearance 
and  durability,  to  ordinary  washes ;  and  some  have  not 
hesitated  to  declare  that  it  compares  very  favorably 
with  good  lead  paints.  It  is  much  cheaper  than  paint, 
and  gives  the  houses  and  yards  to  which  it  is  applied  a 
very  attractive  appearance. 

Ordinary  whitewash  is  made  more  effective  by  the 
addition  of  carbolic  acid.  Slake  lime  (in  an  old  tub 
or  half-barrel)  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  to 


THE  CARE  OF   POULTRY  4I 

make  a  wash  of  the  desired  consistency,  adding  a  Httle 
water  at  a  time.  Then  add  a  fluid  ounce  of  crude  car- 
bolic acid  to  every  bucket  of  wash.  Apply  the  wash 
with  an  old  broom  or  with  a  force  pump.  Put  it  on 
hot  and  get  it  into  the  cracks. 

Best  Size  of  Flock — At  the  Maine  experiment 
station,  flocks  of  fifteen,  twenty,  twenty-five,  and 
thirty  hens,  respectively,  were  tested  for  comparative 
profits.  The  lots  containing  twenty  hens  gave  a 
greater  net  profit  per  lot  than  any  other  number.  Lots 
of  twenty-five  hens  gave  slightly  greater  net  returns 
than  did  the  fifteen-hen  lots,  and  those  with  thirty  hens 
gave  much  less  net  returns  than  any  of  the  others.  The 
result  indicates  that  the  best  profits  will  be  obtained 
by  allowing  each  hen  eight  to  ten  square  feet  floor 
space. 

A  very  common  mistake  is  the  keeping  of  hens  to 
an  age  when  they  have  passed  their  usefulness,  and 
frequently  this  is  done  because  of  the  feeling  that  the 
hens  are  unusually  good  ones,  when  as  a  matter  of 
fact  a  hen  more  than  two  years  old,  no  matter  what  her 
record  has  been,  is  less  valuable  than  one  younger.  It 
would  pay  to  mark  all  chickens  when  hatched  so  that 
you  could  readily  by  selection  keep  your  flocks  down 
to  pullets  and  one-year-old  hens. 

Litter  for  Scratching — In  order  to  Induce  fowls 
to  exercise  in  winter,  it  is  essential  to  cover  the  floor 
several  inches  deep  with  some  loose  kind  of  litter,  in 
which  to  throw  the  whole  grain.  Long  rye  straw 
makes  probably  the  best  litter,  because  it  does  not  mat 
down.  Wheat  or  oat  straw  is  also  good.  Hay  or  corn- 
stalks will  answer  the  purpose  admirably.  Leaves 
break  up  quickly  and  must  be  renewed  often.  Refuse 
from  hay  loft  containing  seeds,  clover  heads,  etc., 
should  be  used  frequently  where  it  can  be  obtained. 
The  chickens  will  get  a  great  deal  of  good  material  out 
of  this. 


42  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Clipping  Wings — Many  hesitate  to  clip  the  wings 
on  account  of  an  almost  certain  disfigurement  that  is 
likely  to  be  the  result.  If  care  is  taken  in  cutting,  the 
wings  can  be  clipped  in  such  a  manner  that  the  muti- 
lated feathers  cannot  be  detected  unless  the  fowl  is 
caught.  I  have  a  flock  of  Leghorns  which  I  recently 
clipped;  it  would  take  a  very  acute  observer  to  note 
that  the  wings  had  been  tampered  with  in  the  least. 
The  task  is  by  no  means  difficult ;  anyone  can  do  it  by 
using  a  little  care.  If  the  operator  is  a  right-handeJ 
person,  take  the  fowl  in  the  left  hand  and  hold  close 
to  the  body  partly  by  the  hand  and  forearm.  Spread 
out  the  left  wing  with  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the 
arm  that  is  holding  the  fowl.  With  the  right  hand  take 
a  sharp  pair  of  shears  and  cut  the  flight  feathers,  or  the 
ones  on  the  outer  side;  cut  until  you  come  to  the 
natural  division  between  the  flight  feathers  and  the 
secondaries.  The  section  that  should  be  cut  is  techni- 
cally known  as  the  "primaries."  If  the  primaries  are 
cut  as  close  to  the  flesh  as  possible  and  the  operator  is 
careful  not  to  cut  over  too  far  and  get  into  the  sec- 
ondaries, the  effect  will  not  be  noticed  when  the  fowl 
is  in  its  natural  position.  Except  in  extreme  cases  this 
will  prove  just  as  efifective  in  restraining  high  fliers  as 
though  the  wing  had  been  practically  cut  entirely 
away.  When  this  is  not  sufficient,  which  is  seldom  the 
case,  more  clipping  will  be  necessary.  It  is  possitje  to 
cut  the  wings  when  the  chickens  are  young  so  that 
their  flying  ability  will  be  effectually  impaired  for  all 
time.  This  will  often  prove  to  be  a  great  advantage 
especially  with  fowls  of  the  Leghorn,  Hamburg  and 
Minorca  breeds.  This  is  not  difficult  nor  painful  to 
the  chick,  if  done  at  the  right  time,  and  consists  simply 
in  cutting  the  wing  at  the  last  joint;  the  portion  cut 
off  is  but  a  trifle  when  the  chick  is  young,  but  when 
it  is  developed  it  makes  quite  a  material  difference  in 


THE  CARE  OF  POULTRY  43 

its  wing  power,  so  much  so  that  it  is  a  comparativel}- 
small  matter  to  confine  them,  and  so  far  as  practica- 
bihty  is  concerned,  it  does  not  impair  their  useful 
qualities.  If  the  work  is  done  when  the  chicken  is 
about  ten  or  twelve  days  old,  it  is  scarcely  painful, 
and  the  chick  soon  recovers  its  usual  activity. 

Road  Dust  and  Coal  Ashes — The  fine,  dry  dust 
on  the  roads,  which  is  such  a  nuisance  to  the  traveler, 
is  a  blessing  to  the  poultryman.  It  is  an  admirable 
absorbent,  and  used  under  the  roosts  and  mixed  with 
the  droppings,  it  preserves  the  volatile  properties  of 
the  hen  manure,  mcreasing  in  a  very  material  degree 
the  fertilizer  made  by  the  flock.  Used  in  a  dust  bath, 
it  penetrates  the  feathers  of  the  fowls  and  stops  up 
the  air  passages  of  the  parasites  that  dwell  on  the 
bodies  and  hide  among  the  feathers  of  the  hens,  thus 
promoting  the  comfort  and  health  of  the  flowls.  Used 
on  the  floors  and  about  the  house,  it  assists  in  destroy- 
ing little  mites  that  hide  in  the  cracks  and  corners  of 
the  building,  removes  noxious  odors  and  exhalations, 
and  makes  the  poultry  house  a  healthy  home  for  its 
feathered  occupants,  instead  of  a  disease  breeding 
prison.  It  pays  to  gather  and  use  road  dust,  which 
is  plentiful  everywhere.  In  most  cases  where  coal 
is  used  for  fuel,  the  coal  ashes  make  perhaps  as  good 
a  dust  bath  as  can  be  had.  It  has  the  further  advantage 
that  the  bits  of  coal  which  hens  find  among  the  ashes 
will  be  eaten  by  them,  and  will  help  grind  the  food  in 
their  gizzards.  The  coal  itself  will  also  be  digested 
in  the  process,  and  may  appear  as  black  specks  on 
the  tgg  shells  of  fowls  that  have  access  to  coal  ash 
heaps.  Coal  ashes  make  a  very  excellent  insecticide. 
They  are  finer  than  any  road  dust  can  be  made,  and 
therefore  are  more  efifective,  closing  the  pores  of  ver- 
min which  breathe  through  the  holes  in  their  sides. 
When  these  are  closed  by  fine   powder,  the  vermin 


44  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

quickly  die  from  suffocation.  The  addition  of  a  few 
wood  ashes  to  the  dust  bath  is  a  great  help  in  keep- 
ing down  body  hce. 

Poultry  on  Shares — If  A  furnishes  B  with  poultry 
to  raise  on  shares,  B  doing  all  the  work  and  supplying 
the  feed,  he  should  receive  one-half  the  poultry,  A  to 
take  his  half  and  the  original  flock,  at  market  time  in 
the  fall. 

To  prevent  frozen  combs  keep  the  poultry  in  their 
houses  on  ver}-  cold  days,  particularly  when  the  cold  is 
accompanied  with  a  high  wind.  Make  a  burlap  curtain 
to  hang  over  the  roosts  and  down  around  the  fowls 
to  keep  them  warm  at  night. 

The  color  of  the  yolk  is  influenced  by  the  food. 
Feed  plenty  of  cut  clover  and  some  corn,  and  the  yolks 
will  be  yellow  enough  to  suit  you.  Fowls  fed  largely 
on  buckwheat  and  wheat  often  lay  eggs  with  light 
colored  yolks;  but  it  does  not  affect  the  fertility  of 
hatching. 

Dehorn  Roosters — It  sometimes  becomes  quite  a 
problem  what  to  do  with  the  old  males  after  the  breed- 
ing season  is  over.  If  turned  out  on  the  range  with 
the  cockerels,  they  tyrannize  over  them,  driving  them 
from  the  feeding  grounds,  injuring  and  even  killing 
them  by  their  assaults.  If  put  into  an  inclosure 
together,  a  series  of  fights  will  immediately  begin,  and 
when  it  is  over  the  birds  will  be  hardly  worth  keep- 
ing. Cut  off  the  spurs  with  a  very  fine  saw  within 
one-half  inch  of  the  leg  and  put  on  a  little  powdered 
chalk  or  sulphate  of  iron  to  prevent  bleeding,  then 
trim  down  the  beak  until  the  blood  shows  close  to  the 
cut.  Then  the  birds  will  run  together  as  quiet  as  a 
lot  of  pullets  and  by  the  time  the  beak  grows  out  they 
will  be  living  in  peace  and  harmony. 

Crooked  breast  bones  are  commonly  caused  by  the 
chicks  going  on  the  roost  too  young,  as  a  chicken's 


THE   CARE  OF  POULTRY 


45 


breast  bone  at  that  age  is  little  more  than  cartilage,  and 
bends  very  easily.  Chickens  should  not  be  permitted 
to  roost  until  about  twelve  weeks  old,  and  if  of  the 
heavier  varieties,  such  as  Brahmas  and  Cochins,  they 
should  be  four  or  five  months  old  before  being  allowed 
to  roost.  We  have  known  of  breast  bones  being  de- 
formed in  birds  that  did  not  roost  at  all,  and  that  could 
possibly  be  done  by  their  crowding  too  much  on  the 
ground.  The  bones  of  chickens  could  be  hardened  by 
feeding  them  lime  or  fine  bone  meal  in  small  quantities 
from  time  to  time. 

Teaching  Chicks  to  Roost — Sometimes  changing 
the  chicks  from  the  house  they  have  been  accustomed 
to  to  one  with  roosts  conveniently  placed  induces  them 
to  roost.  When  this  fails,  the  only  effective  plan  is  to 
put  wide  boards  on  the  roosts  extending  clear  back  to 
the  wall,  and  lift  a  part  of  the  chickens  to  these  every 
night  until  they  learn  to  go  themselves.  When  a  part 
of  the  flock  learns  to  roost  the  rest  gradually  follow 
suit.  It  is  a  rather  tedious  performance,  but  we  know 
of  no  other  way  to  accomplish  the  end  sought. 


CHAPTER  III 

Where  to  Keep  Fowls 

While  fowls  can  be  kept  almost  anywhere  and 
everywhere,  they  do  best  in  congenial  locations.  The 
soil  and  arrangement  of  buildings  have  much  to  do 
with  their  health  and  profit.  As  a  general  proposition 
it  may  be  said  that  a  light  soil  which  provides  good 
natural  drainage,  yet  is  strong  enough  to  grow  grass, 
makes  the  ideal  location.  An  exposure  varying  from 
southeast  to  southwest,  protected  from  prevailing 
winds,  is  best. 

Fowls  naturally  like  to  roam.  The  ideal  condi- 
tions are  such  that  provide  them  with  a  liberal  area. 
On  the  farm  the  most  that  is  needed  is  a  suitable  house 
and  a  good  sized  yard  in  which  they  can  be  confined 
at  certain  seasons.  In  village  and  city  lots  the  area  is 
necessarily  limited  and  the  fowls  must  be  kept  in  yards 
most  of  the  time. 

Where  poultry  is  kept  as  a  business  there  are  two 
plans  which  may  be  followed :  One,  the  intensive  sys- 
tem, whereby  they  are  crowded  together  in  small 
yards ;  the  other,  the  colony  plan,  in  which  small  houses 
are  scattered  about  the  place  so  that  the  fowls  are 
given  either  partial  or  entire  free  range.  One  must  be 
governed  by  circumstances  and  amount  of  land  at  dis- 
posal as  to  which  plan  to  adopt.  The  intensive  plan 
requires  considerable  more  labor  to  care  for  the  fowls 
because  every  want  must  be  supplied.  The  colony 
plan  is,  no  doubt,  the  best  for  the  great  majority  of 
poultry  keepers  who  have  a  few  acres  at  their  disposal. 
With  this  system  separate  yards  may  or  may  not  be 
necessary. 

46 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS  47 

BUILDINGS  OF  MANY  KINDS 

A  warm  house,  or  at  least  warm  sleeping  quar- 
ters, is  essential  to  get  eggs  in  the  winter.  Fowls  of 
the  Mediterranean  breeds  and  others  which  have  large 
combs  and  wattles  must  be  kept  in  warm  houses  to 
prevent  freezing  the  combs  and  wattles.  Warming 
the  house  by  means  of  artificial  heat  is  not  advisable. 
This  gives  an  unnatural  condition  which  leads  to  many- 
troubles.  It  is  better  to  spend  a  little  more  in  building 
the  house  substantial  and  warm.  The  importance  of 
warm  houses  cannot  be  too  greatly  emphasized.  A 
test  by  the  West  Virginia  experiment  station  shows 
clearly  the  value  of  a  substantial  house.  Two  houses 
built  exactly  alike  and  placed  side  by  side  were  selected 
for  an  experiment  and  in  each  were  placed  twelve 
pullets.  One  house  had  previously  been  sheathed  on 
the  inside  and  covered  with  paper  to  make  it  perfectly 
tight.  Both  were  boarded  with  matched  siding  and 
shingle  roofs.  Fowls  were  fed  alike  in  each  case  and 
the  experiment,  which  started  November  24,  continued 
five  months.  In  the  warm  house  the  twelve  pullets 
laid  a  total  of  629  eggs ;  in  the  other,  486  eggs.  North 
of  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line  it  will  pay  to  make  all 
houses  double  boarded  with  or  without  a  dead  air 
space.  A  small  roosting  room  that  can  be  closed  tight 
during  winter  nights,  and  roomy,  airy  quarters  for  the 
daytime,  is  the  ideal  arrangement  for  health  and  profit. 
Such  an  arrangement  is  provided  for  in  the  scratching 
shed  house  or  in  some  modification  of  it. 

The  Scratching  Shed  House — Although  open 
sheds  have  long  been  used  for  poultry  to  run  under 
during  winter,  we  believe  the  scratching  shed  house, 
so  called,  originated  with  Mr.  A.  F.  Hunter,  formerly 
editor  of  Farm   Poultry.     Such   a  house,   shown   in 


4S 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


Figures  2  and  3,  is  thus  described  by  him  in  that 
journal : 

The  house  can  be  built  of  any  length  desired,  the 
pens  and  sheds  being  in  groups  of  two,  with  doors 
opening  through  from  pen  to  pen  and  from  shed  to 
shed,  so  that  the  whole  house  can  be  passed  through 
without  going  out  of  doors.  Each  roosting  room  is 
eight  by  ten  feet,  and  each  shed  (adjoining)  is  ten  by 
ten  feet,  the  front  being  seven  feet  high,  the  back  four 
feet  high.  The  shed  having  a  tight  roof,  and  being 
tight  on  the  north  and  west,  is  all  open  to  the  south 
(when  the  curtains  are  up),  giving  the  birds  fresh  air 


FIG.    2 — THE    ORIGINAL    SCRATCHING    SHED    HOUSE 


and  sunshine,  at  the  same  time  they  are  protected 
from  our  cold  northwest  winds. 

Each  combined  pen  and  shed  is  eighteen  by  ten 
feet,  and  will  well  house  twenty-five  fowls;  and  as  it 
is  the  most  economical  plan  to  build  upon,  it  is  easy  to 
see  that  it  is  by  all  odds  the  best  for  the  man  who 
has  to  make  his  dollars  go  as  far  as  possible.  For 
these  reasons  we  recommend  this  compact  open  shed 
and  roosting  pen  plan  of  house  as  being  the  best  all- 
around  house  that  can  be  built.  We  have  108  feet  (in 
length)  of  this  house  on  our  farm,  and  find  it  just 
about  perfect. 

We  intend  that  the  top  of  the  sills  of  our  house 
shall  be  about  a  foot  above  the  ground  level.  The  sills 
are   two   by   four-inch    scantling,   halved   and   nailed 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


49 


together  at  splices  and  corners.  They  rest  upon  posts 
of  cedar  or  chestnut,  which  go  into  the  ground  about 
two  feet.  A  board  one  foot  wide  is  nailed  along  lower 
half  of  sill,  extending  into  the  ground  three  or  four 
inches.  The  plates  are  same  as  sills,  and  are  halved 
and  nailed  together  at  splices  and  corners.  A  sufficient 
number  of  studs  six  feet  eight  inches  long  for  the 
front  and  three  feet  eight  inches  long  for  the  back,  are 
cut  from  the  scantlings,  one  for  each  corner  of  the  pen 


3 — 

OPEN     FRONT 

— n n — 1 

_-JI 0.1- _ 

1        £        'r 

D 

SCRATCHING                   ROOSTING 
SHED                  P         ROOM 

lo'x  lo' 

8'XIO' 

1 

n 

/      .     c     . 

/ 

/ 


FIG.  3 GROUND  PLAN  OF  SCRATCHING  SHED  HOUSE 


and  shed.  These  are  toe-nailed  onto  sills,  and  the 
plates  spiked  onto  top  of  them.  We  set  an  interme- 
diate stud  in  front  of  each  scratching  shed  and  two  two 
by  three-inch  studs  in  front  of  roosting  pen  set  the 
right  distance  apart  to  receive  the  window.  At  the 
back  we  use  one  intermediate  stud  of  two  by  four- 
inch  stuff  in  each  pen  and  shed.  As  we  purpose  double 
boarding  this  back  wall,  boarding  on  the  inside  of  studs 
with  matched  boards,  we  use  the  two  by  four-inch 
studs,  and  thus  get  the  four-inch  dead  air  space. 

Rafters  are  of  two  by  four-inch  scantling,  notched 
and  spiked  onto  plates,  the  top  end  cut  flush  with  out- 


50  MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 

side  of  plate,  the  lower  end  projecting  about  eight 
inches,  and  mitered  to  nail  a  gutter  to.  It  is  best 
economy  to  set  rafters  two  feet  apart.  All  outside 
boarding  is  lengthwise  of  building,  and  is  cheapest 
hemlock  boards,  put  on  with  as  small  cracks  as  pos- 
sible, then  covered  with,  first,  sheathing;  then,  roofing 
paper.  This  is  put  on  lengthwise  of  building,  also, 
each  strip  lapping  about  three  inches,  and  secured 
with  the  tin  head  nails  provided  with  each  roll.  We 
add  battens,  stripped  one-half  inch  thick  from  seven- 
eighth-inch  boards,  putting  them  on  over  the  rafters, 
two  feet  apart.    We  give  the  roofing  paper  a  coat  of 


FIG.    4 NEST    BOXES 

paint,  and  also  paint  the  battens  before  putting  them 
on,  then  put  on  a  second  coat  of  paint  over  battens 
and  all.  A  twelve-light  window  of  eight  by  ten-inch 
glass  is  set  in  the  middle  of  front  of  roosting  room, 
and  a  half-window  is  set  in  each  partition  between 
shed  and  pen. 

The  roost  platform  is  three  feet  wide,  as  long  as 
will  go  easily  in  between  the  partitions,  and  rests  upon 
strips  of  furring  securely  nailed  to  the  partitions,  the 
top  of  rest  being  twenty  inches  above  floor.  The  plat- 
form we  make  of  matched  boards,  and  edge  it  with 
a  strip  of  furring  all  around,  so  that  it  is  a  shallow  pan 
one  and  a  half  inches  deep.  The  two  roosts  are  of  two 
by  three-inch  scantling  slightly  rounded  on  top,  and 
are  fifteen  inches  apart,  the  rear  one  bemg  ten  inches 
from  the  back  wall.  The  bank  of  nest  boxes,  ex- 
plained by  the  illustration,  Figure  4,  is  set  under  the 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS  '  5I 

roost  platform  so  the  fowls  can  go  round  the  ends  and 
enter  any  apartment  from  the  back,  the  front  (hinged 
at  top  and  secured  by  a  simple  button  at  the  bottom) 
lifting  up  to  allow  of  removing  the  eggs.  Keeping  this 
front  closed  makes  the  nests  dark  and  secluded,  most 
important  aids  to  prevent  forming  the  egg  eating  habit. 
We  make  the  floor  of  scratching  shed  ten  by  ten 
feet,  and  plan  for  two  curtains  four  and  one-half  by 
five  and  one-half  feet  to  close  the  front.  Both  these 
curtains  can  be  hinged  to  right  and  left,  the  right  hand 
one  being  a  door  to  admit  to  shed  and  thence  to  pen ; 
or  they  can  be  simple  curtains  on  frames  secured  by 
buttons,  excepting  that  the  shed  at  end  must  have  a 


FIG.    5 MAINE  TYPE   OF   CURTAIN    FRONT   HOUSE 

door  for  entrance.  A  better  plan,  and  probably  the 
best,  is  to  have  the  curtains  hinged  at  top  so  as  to 
swing  in  and  up  along  the  roof  rafters,  where  a  hook 
secures  them.  This  plan  has  many  advantages,  not 
the  least  of  which  is  having  the  curtains  hung  up  out 
of  the  way  all  summer,  when  they  are  not  wanted. 

The  Curtain  Front  House — This  is  a  style  of 
building  designed  by  Prof.  G.  M.  Gowell  of  the  Maine 
experiment  station,  and  is  a  modification  of  the  scratch- 
ing shed  house.  It  has  been  in  use  by  him  for  many 
years.  Figure  5  shows  a  general  view  of  it.  This 
building  is  150  feet  long,  fourteen  feet  wide,  five  and 
one-half  feet  high  in  the  rear  and  six  and  two-thirds 
in  the  front.     The  sills  are  four  by  six  inches  in  size 


52 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


and  rest  on  a  stone  foundation.  The  studding  is  two 
by  four-inch.  The  building  is  boarded,  papered  and 
shingled  on  roof  and  walls.  The  rear  wall  and  four 
feet  of  the  lower  part  of  the  rear  roof  are  ceiled  on  the 
inside  of  the  studding  and  plates  and  packed  with 
hard  and  dry  sawdust.  The  end  walls  are  packed  in 
the  same  way.  The  house  is  divided  by  close  board 
partitions  into  seven  twenty-foot  sections  and  a  ten- 


FIG.  6. — CORNELL  TWO-PEN  HOUSE 


foot  section  is  reserved  at  one  end  for  a  feed  room. 
The  feed  section  has  two  twelve-light  outside  windows 
screwed  onto  the  front.  The  space  between  the  win- 
dows, which  is  eight  feet  long  and  three  feet  wide 
down  from  the  plate,  is  covered  during  rough  winter 
storms  and  cold  nights  by  a  light  frame  covered  with 
ten-ounce  duck  closely  tacked  on.  This  door  or  cur- 
tain is  hinged  at  the  top  and  swings  in  and  up  to  the 
roof  when  open.    A  similar  curtain  at  the  rear  closes  in 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


53 


the  roosts,  there  being  two  roosts  over  a  tight  plat- 
form. The  curtain  is  made  to  fit  closely  and  enough 
air  gets  through  it  to  afford  sufficient  ventilation  for 
the  fowls.  The  several  years  during  which  this  house 
has  been  used  shows  that  it  is  the  ideal  house  for  Amer- 
ican breeds.  Fowls  are  rarely,  if  ever,  sick  in  it  and 
the  yield  of  eggs  during  the  winter  is  very  satisfactory. 
The  Cornell  House — Only  in  recent  years  have 


FIG.  7 FRAME  OF  CORNELL  TWO-PEN  HOUSE 


poultrymen  discovered  the  value  of  cloth  curtains  in 
poultry  house  construction  as  a  means  of  providing 
ventilation  and  promoting  the  health  and  comfort  of 
the  flock.  The  latest  fashion  in  poultry  house  con- 
struction, as  exemplified  by  the  house  on  the  Gowell 
Poultry  Farm  in  Maine,  the  model  house  built  by  Prof. 
James  E.  Rice  of  the  Cornell  experiment  station  and 
many  other  practical  poultry  keepers,  is  to  use  cloth- 
covered  screens  in  place  of  part  of  the  glass.    A  roost- 


54  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

ing  closet  inclosed  with  a  cloth  screen  in  front  protects 
the  fowls  at  night  during  the  coldest  weather.  Where 
exercise  is  provided  by  making  the  fowls  scratch  in 
deep  litter  for  their  grain,  they  keep  warm  in  open 
houses. 

The  science  of. poultry  house  construction  is  being 
gradually  worked  out.  The  latest  style  of  house  is 
that  shown  in  Figures  6,  7,  8,  9  and  10,  which  is  de- 
scribed by  Prof.  James  E.  Rice  in  a.  recent  reading 
course  bulletin  for  farmers.  The  house  is  four  feet 
eleven  inches  in  the  rear  and  eight  feet  seven  inches 
in  front,  which  is  as  low  as  it  is  possible  to  build  with- 
out danger  of  bumping  the  head  while  doing  the  work. 
The  house  is  twelve  feet  wide  and  twenty-four  feet 
long,  divided  into  two  pens,  each  twelve  feet  square.  It 
may  be  made  of  any  length  desired,  but  in  a  long 
house,  it  would  be  advisable  to  make  it  fifteen  feet 
wide  and  the  pens  fifteen  feet  square. 

The  shed  roof  is  used  because  it  is  easiest  to  build, 
provides  the  largest  volume  of  sunlight  and  the  best 
possible  conditions  of  sanitation,  warmth,  brightness 
and  dryness.  There  is  no  projection  on  the  north  side 
or  rear  of  the  house,  which  enables  the  paper  to  run 
continuously  without  breaking  at  the  eaves,  thus  mak- 
ing an  air  tight  joint  and  preventing  rain  from  wash- 
ing the  soil,  also  doing  away  with  eave  troughs.  Each 
pen  is  intended  to  accommodate  from  thirty  to  forty 
fowls. 

The  foundation  is  built  of  concrete.  The  wall 
need  not  be  more  than  eight  to  ten  inches  thick.  It 
should  stand  at  least  six  inches  above  the  natural  level 
of  the  land  and  need  not  go  more  than  six  or  eight 
inches  below  the  surface,  except  in  soils  inclined  to 
heave  badly.  The  floor  is  also  made  of  concrete.  The 
sills  are  of  two  by  fours,  which  should  be  placed  upon 
the  foundation  before  the  floor  is  laid,  so  the  cement 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


55 


can  be  flushed  against  the  sill  to  prevent  air  and  water 
entering-. 

The  walls  on  all  sides  except  the  south  are  made 
of  one  thickness  of  matched  pine  lumber  with  planed 
side  inside.  The  outside,  including  the  roof,  is  covered 
with  one  thickness  of  roofing  paper.  The  only  part 
of  the  house  that  is  double  boarded  is  the  portion 
directly  back  and  above  the  roosting  platform.  An  air 
space  is  formed  between  the  studding  and  the  inner 


or  CufT4)IN 


.4^/ 


FIG.  8 SIDE  VIEW  CORNELL  HOUSE 


joarding,  which  is  opened  above  and  below.  Holes 
are  bored  through  the  plate,  which  permit  the  air  to 
circulate  freely  up  between  the  studding  through  the 
plate,  between  the  rafters  and  out  into  the  room  again. 
This  makes  the  inner  wall  warmer  than  it  would  be 
with  a  dead  air  space,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  air  is 
continually  changing  and,  therefore,  must  be  nearer  the 
temperature  of  the  room  than  it  could  possibly  be  with 
the  dead  air  space,  which  in  time  becomes  as  cold  as 
the  outside  boarding.  The  front  of  the  house  is  made 
of  one  thickness  of  ship  lap  without  paper  either  inside 


56 


MAKING    POULTRY   PAY 


or  out.  Thig  type  of  wall  more  readily  warms  up  on 
the  inside  when  the  sun  shines  than  would  a  double 
wall  and  the  warm  air  does  not  readily  pass  out 
because  the  house  is  free  of  draft. 

The  frame  is  made  wholly  of  two  by  fours,  except 
the  rafters,  which  are  two  by  five.  The  studding  is 
placed  four  feet  apart  and  the  rafters  two  feet  upon  the 
centers.    See  Figure  7.     The  boards  are  laid  horizon- 


y-i        fi        n I s a. 


-z^- 


s>  DOOR 


I    •?       II 


b'-^"~ 


Cloth  CuFtr/iirt 


'\DU5TE)0t 


-W'O^ 


FIG.    9 FRONT    ELEVATION    OF    FRAMEWORK 


tally.  Most  of  the  front  of  the  house  is  filled  with 
door  and  window  openings  which  are  easy  of  construc- 
tion and  require  a  small  amount  of  material.  Details 
of  construction  are  shown  in  Figures  7,  8,  9  and  10. 

The  best  light  is  obtained  by  always  placing  the 
windows  high.  By  placing  the  windows  near  to- 
gether and  making  that  part  of  the  partition  near  the 
front  of  the  house  of  wire,  the  sunlight   can  pass 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


57 


through  so  that  each  pen  gets  the  benefit  of  the  sun- 
light from  its  own  window  and  that  of  the  other  pen 
also.  The  windows  are  hung  at  the  side  and  swing 
against  the  partition,  in  which  position  they  are  readily- 
opened  and  closed.  When  opened,  as  they  should  be 
during  the  entire  summer  season,  they  are  in  the  most 


FIG.   10 GROUND  PLAN  CORNELL  HOUSE 


secure  place  possible  to  avoid  breakage.  The  glass 
windows  are  two  feet  four  inches  by  two  feet  eight 
inches  and  contain  eight  by  ten  inch  glass.  Each  pen 
is  provided  with  a  cloth  frame  hung  at  the  top,  cover- 
ing a  window  opening  six  feet  four  inches  by  three 
feet  four  inches.     The  top  of  the  window  is  six  feet 


^8  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

eight  inches  from  the  floor.  Over  each  window  is 
provided  a  board  hinged  at  the  top,  which  swings  out, 
shading  the  opening  so  sun  can  shine  in  and  permit 
the  warm  air,  which  accumulates  at  the  highest  portion 
of  the  roof,  to  pass  out  freely.  This  is  intended  to  be 
open  only  in  summer.  The  cloth  window  can  be  hung 
on  the  outside  and  swung  out  during  the  summer  to 
form  an  awning.  A  dust  bath  is  provided  by  construct- 
ing a  well  six  or  eight  inches  deep  in  the  floor  of  the 
house  directly  under  the  small  glass  windows.  A  two 
light  cellar  sash  two  feet  four  inches  by  two  feet  is 
placed  directly  under  the  large  window  and  is  hung  at 
the  top  to  swing  outward.  A  wire  screen  covers  the  pen 
on  the  inside  so  arrang-ed  that  the  dust  wallow  can  be 
emptied  or  filled  readily  from  the  outside.  The  hens 
enter  from  a  narrow  pen  at  the  end.  This  arrange- 
ment furnishes  a  splendid  dust  wallow  with  very  little 
dust  escaping  into  the  room,  except  when  the  fowls 
come  out  to  shake  themselves. 

The  inner  arrangement  of  the  house.  Figure  lo,  is 
portable.  The  platform  and  nest  boxes  are  all  movable. 
The  arrangement  shown  provides  for  trap  nests  under 
roosting  boards,  but  most  any  form  of  nests  can  be 
used.  One  nest  is  allowed  for  five  fowls,  which  is  usually 
sufficient.  A  coop  for  broody  hens  is  provided  in  con- 
nection with  the  roosting  arrangement  where  it  is  most 
out  of  the  way.  The  floor  of  this  coop  is  slatted.  If 
a  long  house  of  this  type  is  built  the  doors  between  the 
pens  should  be  hung  on  double  acting  hinges.  The 
cloth  for  covering  the  screens  may  be  of  burlap  or  a 
medium  sheeting.  A  heavy  type  of  cloth  or  one  that 
is  oiled  is  objectionable,  as  it  does  not  allow  the  air  to 
go  through  It.  The  bill  of  materials  and  approximate 
cost  of  same  is  as  follows,  although  the  cost  will  vary 
somewhat  in  each  locality : 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


59 


6 

20 
13 

4 
2 
2 


35  bags  Cayuga  cement 
12  pieces  2x4  inches  by  12  feet 
''      2x4  inches  by  14  feet 
"      2x4  inches  by  10  feet 
"      2x5  inches  by  14  feet 
"      2x6  inches  by  12  feet 
"      1x4  inches  by  12  feet 
"      1x6  inches  by  12  feet 
All  of  above  stock  hemlock  and  surfaced  on  four 
sides. 

15  feet  IX 12  inch  basswood  or  poplar;  no  shakes 
or  cracks. 

15  feet  1x6  inch. 

30  square  feet  cove  siding  in  12  foot  lengths. 
50  square  feet  cove  siding  in  14  foot  lengths. 
786  square  feet  sap  pine  flooring  in  14  or  16  foot 
lengths,  surfaced  one  side. 

400    square    feet   sap   pine    flooring   in    12    foot 
lengths,  surfaced  one  side. 

2  pieces  13^x4  inches  by  12  feet 

2  "      1^x4  inches  by  14  feet 

3  "      13^x2  inches  by  16  feet 
15       "      1^x3  inches  by  12  feet 

4  "      1^x3  inches  by  10  feet 
6       "      iysxi}i  inches  by  12  feet 
6       "      1/^x3  inches  by  14  feet 

140  linear  feet  %xi  inch  window  stop 
Above  to  be  good  grade  white  pine  surface  four 
sides.     Cost  $91.87. 

Bill  of  hardware  material  for  the  laying  house: 
2-9  light  8x10  inch  glass 
2-6     "      8x10  inch  glass  sash 
2-2     "      12x14  ii^ch  glass  (cellar  sash) 
3  pairs  3  Inch  light  loose  pin  butts  (pressed  steel) 
II      "3  inch  light  T  hinges 
2      "     2%  inch  light  loose  pressed  steel  butts 


6o 


MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 


2  "     4  inch  double  action  spring  butts  (steel; 
screws  for  all  of  above. 

4  rim  night  locks  (2  keys) 

6  i^-inch  japanned  iron  buttons 

3  pounds  5d  nails  (box) 
10  pounds  lod  nails 

10  pounds  8d  nails 

25  pounds  2od  nails 

7^  squares  Neponset  roofing  paper 

2  gallons  paint.     Cost  $24.35 

Total  material  cost  $116.22. 


FIG.    II MESSRS.    perry's    WELL-ARRAXGED    HOUSE 


A  well-arranged  house  is  that  of  E.  R.  Perry  & 
Son  of  New  Hampshire,  whose  modern  scratching 
shed  house  is  shown  in  Figure  11.  This  consists  of 
four  roosting  pens  with  a  scratching  shed  attached  to 
each.  A  two-story  building  provides  a  feed  room, 
brooder  house,  incubator  cellar,  a  place  for  storing 
vegetables  and  general  all  around  handy  storage  room. 

An  Inexpensive  House — The  simple  house  shown 
in  Figures  12  and  13  is  one  of  the  cheapest  that  can  be 
made,  and  will  commend  itself  to  many  practical  poul- 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


61 


trymen.  According  to  Daniel  Lambert  of  Rhode 
Island,  the  owner,  it  is  entirely  satisfactory  and  suit- 
able for  both  summer  and  winter.  The  building  is 
twenty-eight  feet  front  and  fourteen  feet  deep,  eight 
feet  high  at  the  center  and  four  feet  at  the  eaves.  A 
partition  runs  from  the  center  from  front  to  rear,  mak- 
ing two  rooms  each  fourteen  by  fourteen  feet.     Two 


FIG.    12 — D.  J.  LAMBERT  S  PRACTICAL  AND  INEXPENSIVE 
HOUSE 


feet  above  the  sills  along  the  partitions  are  the  drop- 
ping boards  four  feet  wide.  Over  these  at  a  hight  of 
six  inches  are  the  roosting  poles  of  two  by  three  inch 
spruce  each  fourteen  feet  long.  In  front  of  the  roosts 
are  two  swinging  doors  hung  just  below  the  ceiling 
which  shut  down  flush  with  the  dropping  boards.  The 
doors  in  this  case  are  made  of  unmatched  lumber,  but 
frames  covered  with  muslin  are  preferable,  because 
they  provide  better  ventilation  without  drafts. 
Between  the  two  doors  In  front  of  the  roosts  Is  a  board 
one  foot  wide,  at  the  bottom  of  which  Is  an  opening 
large  enough  for  the  fowls  to  come  out  of  the  roosting 
cupboards  when  the  doors  are  closed. 

The  openings  In  front  of  the  building  are  seven 
and  one-half  bv  four  feet  and  are  covered  with  two- 


62 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


inch  mesh  wire  netting.  These  are  closed  at  night 
when  necessary  and  on  stormy  days  with  a  muslin 
covered  frame  on  hinges  which  swings  open  against 
the  side  of  the  building.  There  are  small  windows  in 
front  of  the  roosting  rooms  just  under  the  ridge  as 
shown  in  Figure  12  and  one  at  each  end  of  the  house. 
In  summer  these  windows  should  be  removed  to  permit 
better  ventilation.  The  entrance  doors  are  four  feet 
from  the  center  and  are  five  by  two  and  one-half  feet 
in  size.     The  nest  boxes  can  be  placed  under  the  drop- 


FIG.   13 — INTERIOR  VIEW  OF  D.  J.  LAMBERt's  HOUSE 


ping  boards  or  along  the  rear  or  side  of  the  house  back 
of  the  windows  as  may  be  desired. 

This  house  was  built  of  second  grade  inch  hemlock 
boards  and  second  grade  spruce  timber  for  sills  and 
studding,  the  lumber  costing  about  $14  per  thousand. 
The  sills  are  four  by  four  inch  and  the  studding  two  by 
three  and  two  by  four  inch.  The  center  partition 
should  be  absolutely  air  tight  so  that  there  can  be  no 
drafts  between  the  two  rooms.  The  roof  is  covered 
with  roofing  paper  and  the  sides  and  rear  with  similar 
material.     The  building  is  on  an  underpinning  of  stone 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


^3 


set  in  mortar.  Mr.  Lambert  has  several  of  these  houses 
which  cost  less  than  $75  each.  From  100  to  125  fowls 
are  kept  in  each  house. 

A  Continuous  House — An  ideal  house  for  the  in- 
tensive system  of  poultry  culture  is  shown  in  Figure 
14.  This  house  is  built  in  two  sections  with  a  story 
and  a  half  building  in  the  middle  which  is  used  as  a 
feed,  storeroom,  incubator  cellar,  etc.  Such  a  building 
can  be  made  of  any  length  desired.  The  yards  attached 
are  necessarily  long  and  narrow.    A  three-foot  alley  at 


FIG.   14 HOUSE  AND  YARDS  AT  NEW  YORK  EXPERIMENT 

STATION 

the  rear  of  the  house  is  generally  considered  essential 
in  a  long  building  for  ease  in  doing  the  work,  although 
this  is  a  very  expensive  addition  and  many  poultry 
keepers  find  it  cheaper  and  fully  as  satisfactory  to  go 
through  the  pens. 

A  Cheap  Structure  for  Fifty  Hens — A  house  built 
recently  by  the  author  at  a  cost  of  $45  for  material  is 
shown  in  Figure  15.  It  is  twelve  feet  wide,  thirty- 
one  and  one-half  feet  long,  front  studs  six  feet  two 
inches  and  rear  studs  five  feet.  It  is  single  boarded, 
of  matched  boards,  covered  with  asphalt  roofing  paper 


64. 


AKING    POULTRY    PAY 


on  top  and  Neponset  red  rope  roofing  on  the  sides.  It 
is  divided  into  three  pens  and  has  four  large  windows. 
All  lumber  and  windows  were  second-hand  material, 
which  reduced  the  cost. 


FIG.   15 THE  AUTHOR  S  FORTY-FIVE  DOLLAR  HOUSE 


A  barrel  stave  house,  which  can  be  built  at  prac- 
tically no  cost  for  material,  is  shown  in  Figure  16.  It 
was  put  up  by  the  Rhode  Island  experiment  station  to 
show  how  cheaply  a  house  can  be  built.  It  answers 
the  purpose  very  well  for  summer  protection. 

A  novel  house  is  that  shown  in  Figure  17.  It  was 
an  old  hogpen  twenty  feet  wide  transformed  into  a 
poultry  house  by  two  Massachusetts  poultry  keepers 
who  practice  the  most  intensive  system  of  poultry  cul- 
ture. Three  floors  two  and  one-half  feet  apart  were 
put  in  and  divided  into  pens  six  by  twelve   feet  in 


WHERE    TO    KEEP    FOWLS 


'05 


size.  The  front  was  closed  in  with  wire  netting".  At 
the  rear  a  space  two  by  six  feet  in  size  was  partitioned 
off  for  a  roosting  room.  In  each  of  these  pens  twelve 
hens  are  kept.  During  a  very  severe  winter  only  one 
hen  was  frozen,  and  this  hen  by  accident  did  not  get 
into  the  roosting  room  at  night.  The  floor  is  kept 
covered  with  sand  and  litter  and  fowls  do  not  seem  to 
mind  such  close  confinement.  In  summer  they  are 
placed  in  pens  six  by  twelve  feet  in  size  and  two  feet 
high,  built  of  wire  netting.     A  frame  four  feet  square 


FIG.    1 6 BARREL  STAVE  HOUSE 


and  three  feet  high  is  covered  with  tarred  paper,  in 
which  a  roost  is  placed.  These  are  moved  weekly  to 
fresh  ground.  Hens  are  fed  heavily  on  oats  and  other 
grains  and  lay  well  from  spring  to  fall,  at  which  time 
they  have  been  fed  fat  and  are  killed  and  marketed. 

A  stibiirban  poultry  house  shown  in  Figures  i8 
and  19  is  located  in  a  Boston  suburb,  on  a  lot  sixty 
feet  wide  by  no  deep.  The  ground  Is  the  cleanest 
of  sand,  with  a  hard  gravel  bottom.  The  house  is  set 
in  the  middle  of  the  strip,  with  two  runs,  at  the  easi. 
and  west  ends.     A  cellar  four  fe^t  deep,  sixteen  feet 


66 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


long  and  ten  feet  wide,  is  walled  with  hemlock  plank 
nailed  to  cedar  posts.  These  posts  are  six  feet  long, 
so  that  they  are  two  feet  out  of  ground.  The  sill  of  the 
house  rests  on  them,  and  is  sixteen  feet  long,  but  only- 
eight  feet  broad.  This  makes  the  cellar  project  two 
feet  from  the  house  on  the  long  (southern)  front.  This 
projecting  space  is  covered  with  glass,  slanting  from 
the  sill  to  the  edge  of  the  cellar,  and  gives  abundant 
light  and  sun  to  the  lower  room.     The  upper  house  is 


FIG.    17 — ^A    NOVEL    HOUSE    FOR    WINTER   LAYERS 


nine  feet  high  at  the  ridgepole,  sloping  to  four  at  the 
eaves.  A  glazed  door  and  two  windows  on  the  front, 
and  a  smaller  window  at  each  end,  give  light  enough. 
In  very  small  ground  space  this  gives  two  distinct 
houses,  one  eight  by  sixteen,  and  one  ten  by  sixteen, 
the  lower  house  being  six  feet  high  in  the  clear. 

The  interior  arrangement  is  such  that  the  work 
can  be  done  without  soiling  clothes.  As  shown  in 
Figure  19,  the  door  opens  into  a  central  hallway  four 
feet  wide,  with  a  room  six  feet  wide  on  each  side  of 
it.     In  the  floor  of  this  hallway  is  an  ample  trap-door. 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS 


67 


with  a  flight  of  steps  leading  down  into  a  similar  hall- 
way in  the  cellar,  also  with  a  six-foot  room  on  each 
side  of  it.  In  the  upper  house  the  nests  are  two  feet 
from  the  floor  against  the  hallway  partition,  and  over 
them  the  roosting  board.  A  flap  in  the  partition  opens 
all  the  nests  at  once  for  gathering  eggs  and  for 
cleaning  and  kerosening  nests,  and  another  flap  opens 
the  space  above  the  roosting  board,  so  that  with  a  fine 
rake  it  can  be  cleaned  off.  The  two  runs,  each  twelve 
by  twenty-two  feet,  are  covered  in,  both  front  and  top, 
with  wire  netting  and  those  nettings  are  nearlv  covered 


FIG.   1 8 HOUSE  IN  A  BOSTON  SUBURB 


with  grapevines,  which  give  a  delightful  shade  in  hot 
weather.  The  other  three  sides  of  each  are  tight  fence 
or  house. 

A  very  satisfactory  house  for  a  large  village  or 
city  lot  is  shown  in  Figure  20.  This  is  a  double  house, 
twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  wide  and  of  any  length 
desired.  It  is  built  in  two  sections,  one  projecting 
three  feet  above  the  other.  In  this  three-foot  space 
are  windows  facing  south,  which  provide  light  and  sun 
for  the  rear  pens.  Such  a  house  should  be  four  feet 
high  in  front  with  a  pitch  of  two  and  one-half  feet  to 


68 


MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 


the  roof,  then  a  rise  of  three  feet  and  a  slope  to  the 
roof,  which  will  bring-  it  five  feet  high  in  the  rear.  An 
alley  is  provided  through  the  center  in  which  to  do  the 
work.  Roosting  platforms  in  each  pen  are  next  the 
alley  and  beneath  these  are  the  nesting  boxes.  The 
platforms  can  be  cleaned  from  the  alley  and  the  eggs 
gathered  and  all  the  feeding  and  watering  done  from 
this  passageway. 


FIG.    19 A  CORNER  IN  THE  HALLWAY 


A  cheap  house  for  a  renter  can  be  built  of  a  few 
poles,  cornstalks  and  straw.  Make  the  building  eight 
feet  wide  and  as  long  as  needed.  Drive  posts  In  the 
ground  four  to  six  feet  apart  and  fasten  poles  to  them 
with  wire,  making  the  front  seven  feet  high  and  the 
back  about  four  feet.     Place  the  door  and  windows 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS 


69 


and  inclose  the  balance  with  cornstalks  stood  on  end. 
Lay  rails  or  poles  for  the  roof,  then  cornstalks,  and 
cover  with  straw  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  and  lay  on 
a  few  poles  to  keep  the  straw  in  place.  A  few  poles 
for  roosts  and  boxes  for  nests  will  complete  the  outfit, 
and  you  will  have  a  house  both  dry  and  warm. 

A-Shaped  House — Probably  the  largest  egg  farm 
in  New  England  is  that  of  C.  L.  E.  Hayward,  southern 
New  Hampshire.  The  place  includes  800  acres  and 
there  are  6500  hens  the  year  round.     The  method 


..t 


FIG.  20 HOUSE  WITH  PENS  ON   BOTH   SIDES 


pursued  is  somewhat  peculiar.  No  chickens  are  raised, 
but  the  pullets  are  brought  each  fall  from  Vermont, 
where  they  are  raised  to  order  each  year  by  a  number 
of  farmers.  When  these  pullets  are  brought  to  Mr. 
Hayward's  farm,  they  are  at  once  put  into  A-shaped 
coops,  like  the  one  illustrated  in  Figure  21.  Twelve 
are  put  into  each  coop,  and  the  quarters  would  appear 
to  be  somewhat  crowded,  as  there  is  no  yard  attached 
and  the  hens  are  never  let  out  of  the  coop  from  the 
time  they  are  put  in  until  they  stop  laying  the  follow- 
ing summer  and  are  taken  out  to  kill  for  market.  By 
careful  feeding  they  are  made  to  lay  very  well  for 


70 


MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 


nearly  a  year  atter  being  shut  into  small  coops.  There 
are  on  the  farm  561  of  the  small  houses  similar  to  the 
one  illustrated.  They  are  shingled  on  the  roof  and 
rear.     Mr  Hayward  places  the  cost  at  $12  each. 


FIG.  21 — MR.  HAYWARD's  A-SHAPED  HOUSE 


A  very  useful  breeding  pen  for  a  small  flock  or  for 
a  village  lot  is  shown  in  Figure  22,  which  shows  the 
framework  only.  It  consists  of  a  building  six  feet 
square  with  a  wire  covered  yard  attached.  Two  sills 
of  the  building  are  made  fifteen  feet  long  and  the  yard 
is  built  on  these  so  that  the  entire  arrangement  can  be 
moved  without  taking  it  apart.  Nest  boxes  are  placed 
on  brackets  two  feet  above  the  floor,  which  allows  the 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS 


71 


entire  floor  space  for  the  fowls.  Above  the  nest  boxes 
is  a  platform  and  above  this  one  roost.  This  house  is 
sufficient  for  a  pen  of  six  or  eight  fowls. 

A  Two-Story  House — Hens  could  often  be  kept 
in  the  second  floor  of  a  building  if  access  to  the 
ground  could  be  secured.  Figure  23  shows  an  easy- 
grade  up  to  an  elevated  door.  The  top  and  bottom, 
boards  are  shown  in  place,  but  the  entire  front  should 
be  covered  with  slats.  These  can  extend  from  the  top 
board  down  to  the  bottom  board.  The  grade  is  so 
easy  that  the  fowls  will  readily  pass  up  or  down.    By 


15  FT, 

FIG    22 — FRAMEWORK    OF    A    SMALL    HOUSE    AND    YARD 


this  plan  a  building  can  often  be  made  to  hold  two 
flocks  instead  of  but  one. 

The  floor  of  the  poultry  house  may  be  either 
earth,  cement  or  boards.  Earth  floors  are  the  cheap- 
est and  most  satisfactory.  Fill  in  between  the  sills 
with  coarse  gravel,  raising  the  floor  ten  to  twelve 
inches  above  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Such  a  floor 
will  then  be  dry. 

Ventilation  has  received  comparatively  little  atten- 
tion from  poultry  house  architects.  Some  houses  have 
too  much  ventilation,  others  not  enough.  An  open 
front  house  needs  no  ventilation.     A  house  which  is 


n 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


built  tightly,  if  not  provided  with  artificial  means  for 
ventilation,  will  become  cold  and  damp  during  winter. 
The  best  ventilator  is  a  square  tight  flue  going  straight 
up  through  the  highest  point  of  the  house  and  extend- 
ing to  within  a  foot  of  the  floor.  It  is  a  mistake  to  cut 
the  ventilator  off  just  below  the  roof.  A  damper  or 
slide  can  be  arranged  inside  the  flue,  which  should  be 


FIG.  2:^ — RUNWAY  TO  SECOND  STORY 


about  six  inches  square  on  the  inside,  to  control  the 
draft.  This  will  take  out  the  foul,  damp  air  and 
create  no  drafts. 

YARDS  AND  FENCES 

Make  the  yards  as  large  as  possible  for  the  good 
of  the  fowls.  It  is  difficult  to  keep  poultry  in  a  small 
yard  unless  considerable  labor  is  expended  in  spading 
up  the  earth  frequently  and  providing  an  abundance  of 
green  feed,  grit,  etc.  A  small  yard  soon  becomes  con- 
taminated with  the  droppings  of  the  fowls.     With  the 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS  73 

continuous  plan  of  houses  the  yard  must  be  long  and 
narrow.  The  nearer  square  a  yard  is  made  the  less  it 
costs  to  fence  a  given  area  and  the  fowls  are  more 
easily  confined. 

Wire  netting  is  now  used  almost  exclusively  for 
poultry  fences.  There  are  many  styles  of  such  net- 
ting. In  building  a  yard  never  place  a  rail  at  the  top. 
It  makes  a  good  alighting  place  for  the  fowls  that  want 
to  fly  over.  If  you  want  to  use  a  rail  to  add  to  the 
looks  of  the  yard,  either  extend  the  netting  six  inches 
above  it  or  string  two  wires  several  inches  apart  above 
it.  This  will  keep  the  fowls  from  flying  over.  Small 
yards  adjoining  that  are  used  for  breeding  purposes 
should  have  the  lower  two  feet  of  fence  solid  in  order 
to  prevent  males  from  fighting.  Posts  should  be  well 
set  in  the  ground  and  ten  to  twelve  feet  apart.  A  six- 
foot  fence  is  generally  high  enough  for  the  small 
breeds  like  Leghorns,  five  feet  for  American  breeds 
and  four  feet  for  Asiatics.  A  small  yard  needs  a 
higher  fence  than  a  large  one. 

A  burlap  fence  is  useful  for  confining  small 
chickens.  On  many  farms  bran  and  fertilizer  sack^ 
accumulate  in  great  numbers.  Rip  these  open,  sew 
them  together  lengthwise  and  nail  them  to  strips  at 
top  and  bottom  with  posts  ten  or  twelve  feet  apart. 
The  strips  are  easily  taken  down  and  if  made  in  sec- 
tions the  fence  can  be  rolled  up  and  put  away  for  use 
another  year. 

Shade  in  the  poultry  yard  is  essential  for  the 
health  and  comfort  of  the  fowls.  It  is  best  provided 
by  trees,  among  the  most  suitable  of  which  are  plum 
trees.  They  grow  quickly  and  are  greatly  benefited  by 
the  fowls.  A  successful  New  Jersey  poultry  specialist 
grows  blackberries  in  his  yards.  Bushes  are  trained 
high  so  that  fruit  is  out  of  reach  of  the  poultry.  Along" 


74 


MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 


the  outside  fences  grapes  or  other  vines  may  be  trained 
to  provide  shade  or  ornament. 

INSIDE  THE  POULTRY  HOUSE 

The  interior  arrangement  should  be  as  simple  as 
possible  in  order  to  provide  no  harbor  for  lice  or  mites. 
The  ideal  plan  is  to  have  roosts,  roosting  platforms^ 
nest  boxes,  etc.,  removable.     The  roosting  platforms 


FIG.  24 GOOD  INTERIOR  ARRANGEMENT 


should  be  two  and  one-half  to  three  feet  above  the 
floor,  two  feet  wide  for  one  roost  and  three  feet  wide 
for  two  roosts.  They  should  be  built  of  planed, 
matched  boards  with  the  smooth  side  up.  Finish  the 
front  edge  with  a  one  by  two-inch  strip,  which  will 
prevent  the  manure  from  falling  off.  Roosts  may  be 
two  by  three-inch  scantling  planed  smooth,  with  upper 
edges  rounded.     Set  these  in  brackets  at  each  end. 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS  75 

Nests  may  be  arranged  beneath  the  roosting  platform. 
Inside  partitions  should  be  built  solid  of  boards  two 
and  one-half  feet  high  and  above  this  wire  netting. 
Inside  any  long  house  there  should  be  several  solid  par- 
titions to  prevent  drafts.  These  should  also  extend 
across  the  alley,  unless  the  partition  lengthwise  along 
the  alley  is  made  solid.  Figures  24  and  25  show  two 
well-arranged  houses. 


FIG.  25 WELL  PLANNED  INTERIOR 

The  nests  should  usually  be  made  dark.  Hens 
like  a  dark  corner  in  which  to  lay  and  a  dark  nest  also 
tends  to  prevent  tgg  eating.  A  handy  contrivance 
for  securing  dark  nests  is  shown  in  Figure  26.  Where 
the  fowl  house  is  inside  another  building,  or  has  a  hall- 
way, the  plan  can  be  easily  and  conveniently  used. 
Long  boxes  are  used  for  the  nests,  each  having  a  par- 
tition across  the  middle  with  a  round  opening  through 


7t> 


MAKING    POULTRY   PAY 


it  large  enough  for  a  hen  to  pass  through.  Two  other 
round  openings  for  each  nest  are  made — one  in  the 
outside  of  the  box,  as  shown ;  another  in  the  partition. 
Place  the  box  against  the  outside  of  the  partition  so 
that  the  two  openings  will  come  together,  when  the  hen 
can  enter  and  pass  around  into  the  dark  nest.  A 
hinged  cover  grives  access  to  the  eggs 


FIG.   26 PLAN   FOR  DARK   NESTS 


The  trap  nest  is  an  Individual  nest.  It  should  be 
so  constructed  as  to  be  inviting  to  the  laying  hen  and 
yet  exclude  the  non-layer.  As  the  hen  remains  on 
the  nest  until  removed  by  the  attendant,  an  accurate 
record  of  her  product  is  obtained  and  we  are  able  to 
weed  out  the  drones  and  perpetuate  the  best  by  breed- 
ing from  the  prolific  layers.  At  least  one-third  of  the 
hens  of  an  average  flock  do  not  lay  eggs  enough  in  one 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS  7^ 

year  to  pay  for  their  food.  The  good  layers  are 
undervalued,  while  the  poor  layers  are  given  unde- 
served credit.  They  may  lay  fairly  well  in  the  spring, 
yet  do  little  or  nothing  the  rest  of  the  year.  By  the 
use  of  trap  nests  we  learn  the  egg  value  of  each  hen  in 
the  flock  and  are  enabled  to  handle  the  layers  fre- 
quently, thus  taming  them  and  keeping  constantly 
informed  as  to  their  individual  condition  and  require- 
ments. The  individual  nest  system  has  gradually 
developed  until  now  its  adoption  presents  a  practical 
business  proposition  to  the  market  poultryman  and  the 
farmer,  as  well  as  to  the  fancier  and  pedigree  breeder. 
The  practical,  simple,  inexpensive  yet  scientific  trap 
nest  enables  every  poultry  keeper  to  adopt  the  individ- 
ual system. 

The  trap  nest  is  valuable  to  fanciers  who  wish  to 
follow  line  breeding  or  those  who  have  a  limited  num- 
ber of  choice  fowls  from  which  they  wish  to  establish  a 
pedigree  strain.  It  is  the  favorite  device  of  the  man 
who  has  a  desire  to  bring  up  a  strain  of  phenomenal 
layers,  and  also  useful  to  experimenters  who  need  to 
determine  the  results  of  certain  crossings  or  matings. 

Although  it  is  possible  by  the  use  of  trap  nests  to 
determine  the  number  of  eggs  laid  by  individual  hens, 
the  impracticability  of  their  use  on  a  large  scale  is  evi- 
dent, since  the  expense  of  attending  them  overbalances, 
in  a  business  sense,  the  results  obtained.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  look  at  the  nests  during  the  busy  laying  season 
at  least  five  times  per  day,  and  if  a  hen  has  laid  each 
time  it  takes  considerably  more  than  the  "one  minute  a 
day"  claimed  by  more  than  one  of  the  inventors  to 
release  the  hen  and  credit  the  egg  to  her  account.  In 
looking  after  twenty  pens  of  about  five  hens  each  it 
takes  on  the  average  fifteen  minutes  each  time,  or  one 
and  one-quarter  hours  per  day.     A  person  keeping  500 


78 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


fowls  would  therefore  use  about  six  hours  a  day  in 
determining  how  many  eggs  each  hen  was  laying. 

One  of  the  best  non-patented  devices  for  keeping 
Qgg  records  is  that  used  at  the  Maine  experiment  sta- 
tion and  illustrated  in  Figure  2y.  In  one  of  the  views  is 
shown  the  interior  workings  of  the  device,  and  in  the 
other  the  completed  nest.  It  is  a  box-like  structure, 
without  front  end  or  cover,  twenty-eight  inches  long, 
thirteen  inches  wide  and  thirteen  inches  deep,  inside 
measurements.  A  division  board  with  a  circular  open- 


FIG.  2y MAINE  TRAP  NESTS 


ing  seven  and  one-half  inches  in  diameter  is  placed 
across  the  box  twelve  inches  from  the  back  end  and 
fifteen  inches  from  the  front  end.  The  back  section  is 
the  nest  proper.  Instead  of  a  close  door  at  the  entrance, 
a  light  frame  is  covered  with  wire  netting.  The  door 
is  ten  and  one-half  inches  wide  and  ten  inches  high 
and  does  not  fill  the  entire  entrance,  a  good  margin 
being  left  all  round  to  avoid  friction.  It  is  hinged  at 
the  top  and  opens  up  into  the  box.  The  hinges  are 
placed  on  the  front  of  the  door.     The  trip  consists  q! 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS  79 

one  piece  of  stiff  wire  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch 
in  diameter  and  eighteen  and  one-half  inches  long, 
bent  as  shown.  A  piece  of  board  six  inches  wide  and 
just  long  enough  to  reach  across  the  box  inside  is 
nailed  flatwise  in  front  of  the  partition  and  one  inch 
below  the  top  of  the  box,  a  space  of  one-quarter  inch 
being  left  between  the  edge  of  the  board  and  the  parti- 
tion. The  purpose  of  this  board  is  only  to  support  the 
trip  wire  in  place.  The  six-inch  section  of  the  trip 
wire  is  placed  across  the  board  and  the  long  part  of 
the  wire  slipped  through  the  one-quarter-inch  slot,  and 
passed  down  close  to  and  in  front  of  the  center  of  the 
seven  and  one-half-inch  circular  opening.  Small  wire 
staples  are  driven  nearly  down  over  the  six-inch  sec- 
tion of  the  trip  wire  into  the  board  so  as  to  hold  it  in 
place  and  yet  let  it  roll  sidewise  easily. 

When  the  door  is  set,  a  section  of  the  wire  comes 
under  a  hardwood  peg  or  tack  in  the  lower  edge  of  the 
door  frame.  The  hen  passes  in  through  the  circular 
opening,  and  in  doing  so  presses  the  wire  to  one  side, 
letting  the  door  down,  which  fastens  itself  by  a  wooden 
latch  or  lever.  The  latch  is  five  inches  long,  one  inch 
wide  and  one-half  inch  thick,  and  is  fastened  loosely 
one  inch  from  its  center  to  the  side  of  the  box,  so  that 
the  outer  end  is  just  inside  of  the  door  when  it  is 
closed.  Pieces  of  old  rubber  belting  or  strips  across 
the  lower  corners  are  nailed  at  the  outside  entrance  for 
the  door  to  strike  against. 

A  WELL-ARRANGED  POULTRY  FARM 

A  fourteen-acre  farm  provides  a  little  paradise  of 
fruit  and  poultry  and  incidentally  a  good  living  for 
R.  G.  Buffington  In  southeastern  Massachusetts.  Five 
hundred  breeding  fowls  and  about  1400  chickens  are 
kept,  most  of  them  In  colonies  of  twenty  or  thirty. 
Almost  the  entire  farm  Is  divided  into  runs  varying 


«0  MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 

from  one-eighth  to  one  acre  in  size,  and  inside  these 
runs  are  set  pear  and  other  fruit  trees  which  afford 
abundant  shade  for  the  poultry  and  produce  heavy 
crops  of  fruit.  The  wire  netting  for  the  yards  is  four 
feet  wide  placed  above  a  narrow  strip  of  scantling.  The 
cost  of  netting  an  acre  averages  about  $9.  The  houses 
are  six  and  one-half  by  fourteen  feet,  six  feet  high  in 
front,  four  feet  at  the  rear.  Ten  feet  is  floored  and 
the  balance  is  an  open  shed.  The  door  opens  from  the 
shed  and  there  is  one  full  window  in  the  south  side. 
Matched  hemlock  boards  planed  on  one  side  are  used 
and  the  whole  building  is  covered  with  roofing  paper 
and  painted.  The  studding  is  of  two  by  four  spruce. 
The  houses  cost  about  $16  each,  including  labor,  and 
accommodate  twenty  hens.  Most  of  the  yards  are 
one-sixth  of  an  acre  in  size. 

One  of  the  largest  poultry  farms  in  the  United 
States  is  that  belonging  to  Isaac  Wilbour  of  southern 
Rhode  Island,  who  has  100  houses  and  4000  head  of 
laying  and  breeding  fowls.  Geese  are  largely  kept  and 
from  1500  to  2000  goslings  are  raised  annually.  The 
colony  plan  is  used  over  the  entire  establishment  and 
the  thousands  of  poultry  are  scattered  over  three  or 
four  large  fields  sloping  down  to  the  sea.  About  250 
fowls  are  assigned  to  the  acre.  The  houses  are  of  the 
simplest  plan  possible,  built  of  rough  hemlock  boards 
and  having  a  small  window  in  front,  and  very  simple 
arrangement  inside.  The  cost  cannot  be  over  $20  per 
house  and  may  be  made  considerably  less.  Some  of  the 
houses  have  a  double  roof,  others  are  single  and  made 
of  rough,  unmatched  hemlock  lumber.  The  roof  is  of 
plain  boards  not  shingled,  and  no  roofing  or  batting 
paper  is  used  unless  as  an  experiment.  Mr.  Wilbour, 
however,  says:  "We  have  found  it  more  economical 
to  shingle  the  roofs.  We  are  also  careful  to  batten  the 
cracks,  so  that  no  direct  draft  can  come  upon  the 


WHERE  TO  KEEP  FOWLS  8l 

fowls  The  average  cost  is  $i6  to  $20  per  house  com- 
plete. We  have  demonstrated  that  an  inexpensive  at- 
tachment, to  serve  as  a  scratching  shed,  is  a  good  in- 
vestment. As  to  warmth,  direct  drafts  are  always  to 
be  avoided,  but  we  have  never  suffered  from  low  tem- 
peratures. We  use  tarred  paper  sometimes  inside, 
which  is  clean  and  healthy,  but  we  never  have  been  able 
to  discover  specially  favorable  or  improved  results." 

The  cheapest  style  is  considered  the  most  profit- 
able. Built  in  this  style  there  is  no  need  of  providing 
for  ventilation,  as  the  air  is  admitted  through  numer- 
ous cracks  between  the  boards.  The  fowls  are  outside 
almost  every  day  in  the  year,  as  there  is  very  little 
snow.  In  summer,  fresh  salt  breezes  keep  the  air  cool 
and  the  fowls  are  vigorous  and  active  the  year  around. 
This  style  of  house  will  do  when  the  climate  is  not  too 
severe. 


CHAPTER  IV 
Breeds  and  Breeding 

PRINCIPLES  OF  CORRECT  MATING 

The  most  important  point  in  breeding  good  poul- 
try is  mating.  This  should  be  considered  of  so  much 
importance  that  the  utmost  care  should  be  given  to  the 
selection  of  our  breeders.  Careless  or  haphazard  mat- 
ing cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned.  First,  and 
above  all,  the  most  important  point  is  perfect  health  in 
both  sexes.  The  males  and  females  should  be  in 
absolutely  perfect  health.  A  strong  vigorous  male  bird 
is  half  the  pen.  No  other  kind  must  be  thought  of  for 
a  moment.  Perfect  health  in  the  male  is  indicated  by 
a  brilliant  red  comb,  smooth  glossy  plumage,  and  a 
general  strong  vigorous  carriage.  He  should  be 
selected  with  great  care  at  least  a  month  before  he  is 
needed,  and  fed  well  and  put  in  fine  breeding  condi- 
tion ;  but  remembering  always  that  he  must  not  be  fat. 
Usually  a  bird  in  show  condition  is  not  in  breeding 
condition;  but  the  prize  winner  can  easily  be  put  in 
breeding  condition  by  judicious  feeding  and  plenty  of 
exercise.  He  must  be  a  bird  of  few  defects,  the  fewer 
the  better. 

I  am  a  firm  believer  in  size  for  a  male.  I  do  not 
mean  extra  large,  but  a  wxll-grown  and  well-developed 
bird.  Small,  weak,  immature  birds  make  poor  breed- 
ers, and  beget  weak  and  diminutive  chickens.  Good 
legs,  large,  firm,  and  which  support  the  body  well,  are 
worth  considering.  In  the  females  we  might  look  for 
specimens  which  are,  above  all  things,  not  overfat. 
After  being  cooped  during  the  cold,   stormy  winter, 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  83 

overfat  is  the  rule,  and  not  the  exception.  Fat  hens 
are  poor  breeders,  usually  laying  small  eggs,  and  show- 
ing a  very  poor  percentage  of  fertility.  Plenty  of 
green  food  and  exercise  will  remedy  this  to  a  great 
degree.  Here  again  we  want  size.  I  believe  in  large 
females,  and  can  never  be  induced  to  breed  from  small 
ones.  Fully  developed,  fully  grown  females  are  the 
best.  This  is  one  reason  why  so  many  breeders  prefer 
yearling  hens  to  pullets  to  breed  from.  Development 
means  strength,  and  strength  in  both  males  and 
females  means  strong  chickens.  Fine  points  in  the 
females  are  important.  Good  shape  is  of  the  greatest 
importance. 

Inbreeding,  which  is  practiced  most  successfully 
by  experts,  should  never  be  attempted  by  amateurs.  It 
is  much  better  to  buy  new  male  birds  every  year.  Keep 
the  general  health  and  vigor  of  the  stock  up  to  a  high 
pitch.  Mating  breeds  of  solid  colors,  such  as  white 
and  black,  is  carried  on  on  simple  lines,  and  usually  on 
the  single  mating  plan,  which  is  one  mating  to  produce 
both  males  and  females.  The  mating  of  colored  breeds, 
such  as  Barred  and  Buff  Plymouth  Rocks,  Buff 
Cochins  and  Buff  Leghorns,  is  usually  done  by  the 
double  mating  system  which  means  a  separate  mating 
to  produce  males,  and  another  to  produce  fe- 
males. It  must  not  be  understood,  however,  that 
good  chickens  cannot  be  produced  by  general 
mating.  Too  much  skill  and  too  much  science  are  apt 
to  discourage  the  small  breeder.  Careful  breeders 
make  up  pens  and  keep  them  separate  during  the  entire 
breeding  season,  gathering  and  marking  the  eggs,  and 
even  marking  the  chickens  when  hatched,  in  order  to 
keep  track  of  them  for  future  notice.  A  good  flock  of 
fowls  all  of  one  breed,  and  of  course  all  thoroughbreds 
(no  other  kind  is  worth  mentioning),  may  be  let  run  at 
large  with  sufficient  male  birds,  say  one  to  ten  females, 


84  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

and  if  the  entire  flock  is  strong,  healthy,  and  of  a  good 
strain,  the  chickens  will  be  a  pretty  fair  lot,  and  will 
contain  among  them,  not  perhaps  a  world  beater,  but 
some  pretty  good  birds  for  competition — and  above  all, 
they  will  be  pleasing  to  look  at,  so  that  the  breeder 
may  not  be  ashamed  of  them. —  [E.  O.  Roessle  in  The 
Country  Gentleman. 

Mating  for  Size — The  male  bird  undoubtedly  ex- 
ercises a  certain  amount  of  influence  in  regard  to  the 
size  and  shape  of  the  offspring;  but  to  attempt  to  rem- 
edy— as  so  many  amateurs  do — the  deficiency  of  size 
in  their  stock  by  the  purchase  of  an  extra  large  cock, 
is  the  wrong  way  to  go  to  work.  The  hen  has  far 
more  influence  over  both  the  size  and  shape  of  the 
progeny  than  the  male  has.  Take  a  broad-shouldered, 
deep-breasted  cock,  and  mate  with  narrow-shouldered 
hens,  deficient,  also,  in  breast,  and  the  result  of  such  a 
union  will  be  but  little,  if  any  improvement.  Had, 
however,  the  tables  been  turned,  and  the  hens  pos- 
sessed the  size  instead  of  the  cock,  far  greater  improve- 
ment would  appear  in  the  offspring.  It  will  be  found 
that  by  breeding  from  large  hens,  and  a  cock  deficient 
in  this  respect,  that  the  pullets  produced  show  a  far 
greater  improvement  than  is  observable  in  the  cockerels, 
and  it  is  only  by  continuing  the  process  of  breeding 
from  large  hens  that  the  cockerels  will  far  outdistance 
the  original  cock.  There  is  no  question  but  the  best 
plan  is  to  have  size  and  shape  on  both  sides ;  but  if  a 
deficiency  must  occur  on  one  side  or  the  other,  do  not 
let  it  be  on  that  of  the  hens.  It  is  fully  as  important 
to  have  mature  fowls  of  vigorous  constitution.  We 
believe  that  many  of  the  poor  hatches  and  loss  of 
young  stock  can  be  traced  to  the  use  of  overfat  and 
immature  breeding  stock.  In  our  own  practice,  we 
aim  to  mate  a  well-developed  cockerel  with  yearling 
or  two  year  old  hens  of  large  size  and  a  cock  with. 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  85 

large,  well-matured  pullets.  The  result  has  been 
strong,  vigorous  chicks  that  are  ready  to  grow  from 
the  start,  while  the  loss  from  sickness  or  disease  has 
been  nil. 

In-and-in-Breeding — My  observation  leads  me  to 
believe  that  nothing  is  more  susceptible  to  this  evil 
practice  than  fowls,  and  no  manner  of  poultry  breeding 
can  be  more  ruinous.  It  is  essential  that  every  breeder 
infuse  fresh  blood  each  year  by  securing  his  male 
birds  from  other  breeders  whose  flocks  he  knows  to  be 
of  a  different  strain  from  that  of  his  own. — [George 
Underwood. 

PURE-BRED  POULTRY  ON  THE  FARM 

It  ought  not  to  be  necessary  to  argue  the  advan- 
tages of  keeping  pure-bred  hens  rather  than  scrubs  and 
dunghills,  but  the  number  of  these  latter  classes  still 
to  be  seen  on  the  majority  of  farms  convinces  us  that 
it  is.  It  is  now  a  half  century  since  our  fathers  and 
grandfathers  began  practical  comparisons  between  the 
Shanghais  and  the  common  barnyard  fowls.  The 
Shanghais  were  followed  by  the  Brahmas,  the  Cochins 
and  the  Leghorns,  and  in  the  meantime  our  own  Javas, 
Plymouth  Rocks  and^^Wyandottes  were  originated  and 
perfected.  Dorkings,  Hamburgs  and  Houdans  were 
tried.  In  all  these  years  and  with  all  these  varieties 
and  dozens  of  others,  thousands  of  tests  have  been 
made  and  nearly  always  with  the  same  results — the 
pure-bred  varieties  far  in  the  lead,  either  for  eggs 
or  meat.  Still  we  find  the  mixed  and  miscellaneous 
flocks  far  outnumbering  the  others.  I  am  pretty 
familiar  with  poultry  conditions  from  Maine  to  Texas, 
and  yet  fail  to  recall  a  single  marked  success  in  the 
poultry  business,  either  eggs  or  meat,  that  has  not 
been  made  either  with  pure-bred  or  high-grade  fowls. 


86  MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 

I  would  as  soon  go  hunting  for  birds  with  a  bulldog  as 
to  go  into  poultry  or  egg  production  for  the  market 
with  a  dunghill  or  much  mixed  flock. 

The  practice  of  top-crossing  every  year  or  two 
with  new  males  of  a  different  variety  is  most  harmful. 
You  can't  begin  to  guess  what  you  will  get  as  a  result 
of  any  particular  cross  on  such  a  mixed  foundation. 
If  you  cannot  start  with  pure-bred  males  and  females 
of  some  variety,  at  least  be  persistent  in  grading 
toward  some  particular  point  by  using  the  same  variety 
of  males  year  after  year.  One  step  further  let  me 
urge :  If  you  are  breeding  some  variety  in  its  purity 
do  not  even  change  the  strain.  For  fresh  blood,  if  you 
must  have  it,  go  back  to  the  man  from  whom  you 
got  your  foundation  stock  rather  than  throw  away  the 
characteristics  he  worked  so  long  to  secure  by  crossing 
another  strain  upon  your  females  which  will  probably 
fail  to  "nick"  with  them. 

The  farmer  is  the  real  fancier  by  nature  and  loca- 
tion. All  he  needs  to  do  is  to  rid  his  premises  of 
all  oddities  in  the  feathered  line,  kill,  eat  or  sell  every 
specimen  not  known  to  be  pure  bred  of  his  chosen 
variety,  and  he  has  made  a  good  stride  on  the  road  to 
success  as  a  fancier.  So  soon  as  his  neighbors,  and 
even  the  passersby,  see  a  flock  of  hens  in  his  fields  "as 
much  alike  as  peas  in  a  pod"  they  will  respond  to  this 
effective  advertisement  and  stop  to  buy  breeding  birds 
or  eggs  for  hatching.  He  does  not  need  to  build 
expensive  poultry  houses  or  high  fences  to  keep  his 
varieties  from  getting  mixed.  If  he  has  but  one 
variety  the  mixing  of  these  is  not  dangerous.  Let  me 
urge  for  the  farmer  some  pure-bred  variety  and  but 
one.  Two  years'  careful  experience  will  convince  him 
that  he  cannot  afford  to  go  back  to  the  mixed  flock  of  » 
dozen  different  characteristics  and  colors. 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  87 

If  his  eggs  are  uniform  in  size  and  all  of  one 
color  he  can  readily  get  five  cents  per  dozen  above  the 
market  price.  If  his  broilers  are  all  of  one  color  and 
uniform  in  size  in  the  same  crate  they  will  bring  one 
or  two  cents  per  pound  more  than  if  a  mixed  lot. 
Uniformity  counts  for  something.  If  the  product  is 
uniformly  good  it  counts  for  much.  The  farmer,  the 
producer,  may  just  as  well  have  the  advanced  price  as 
to  allow  it  to  go  to  the  middleman,  who  sorts  up  his 
mixed  products  into  uniform  packages  and  gets  well 
paid  for  doing  so. —  [T.  E.  Orr,  Pennsylvania. 

Value  of  Thoroughbreds — I  had  a  good  object 
lesson  of  the  greater  profit  of  pure  bloods  last  spring. 
A  pen  of  pure  bloods  I  received  and  graded,  laid  one- 
third  as  many  eggs  as  eighteen  times  their  number  of 
mixed  hens  with  free  range.  The  treatment  and  feed 
were  the  same  except  the  mixed  hens  had  range  of  the 
place.  Is  it  not  an  eye-opener?  Then  they  are  pleas- 
ing to  the  eye.  I  cannot  afford  to  bother  longer  with 
loafers. — [Emma  Clearwaters,  Indiana. 

Some  years  ago  I  ventured  to  pay  $i  a  head  for 
three  hens  and  a  cock  of  full  blood  White  Wyandotte 
stock.  I  bred  from  one  particular  hen,  a  beauty,  very 
vigorous  and  a  persistent  layer  of  a  large,  dark  brown 
egg.  I  kept  nine  splendid  pullets  from  her,  besides 
selling  quite  a  number,  and  then  sold  her  and  the  cock 
for  $2  apiece,  as  much  as  I  paid  for  the  four  original 
birds.  From  the  nine  pullets  I  sold  the  next  spring 
during  the  hatching  season  more  than  700  eggs  with- 
out advertising.  For  these  eggs  I  received  from  two 
to  four  times  as  much  as  the  store  prices.  I  might 
have  sold  many  more  if  I  had  had  them.  I  take  a  far 
greater  interest  in  beautiful  thoroughbred  fowls  than 
in  the  common  barnyard  stock.  They  are  much  more 
attractive,  too,  being  all  of  the  same  color  and  size. 
Neighbors  passing  by  and  seeing  them  cannot  resist 


88  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

the  charm  and  straightway  buy  from  one  to  five  sit- 
tings. Late  in  the  season  the  grocer  kept  my  eggs  on 
sale  for  hatching,  and  quite  a  number  of  sittings  were 
sold  for  double  the  market  price.  My  experience  is 
therefore  that  it  pays  in  cash  returns  to  keep  first- 
class  thoroughbred  fowls,  even  though  you  do  have  to 
pay  large  prices  at  the  beginning.  More  than  this,  it 
pays  in  the  increased  pride  and  interest  you  will  take 
in  your  poultry;  and  when  fair  time  comes  you  will 
have  something  worth  while  to  put  on  exhibition. — 
[W.  R.  Smith,  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y. 

Starting  zvith  Thoroughbred  Poultry — The  begin- 
ner can  buy  either  eggs  or  fowls.  The  choice  will 
depend  largely  upon  the  season  and  the  amount  of 
money  which  you  can  put  in.  First-class  breeding 
stock  can  seldom  be  purchased  for  less  than  $5  per 
bird.  Ordinary  thoroughbreds  can,  of  course,  be 
bought  much  cheaper.  If  $15  is  invested  in  a  trio,  and 
one  carefully  saves  and  sets  the  eggs  during  March, 
April  and  May,  he  should  be  able  to  raise  a  flock  of 
fifty.  Some  of  the  cockerels  can  be  sold  for  breeding 
and  from  the  pullets  one  or  two  good  pens  can  be 
selected.  One  or  two  good  sittings  of  eggs  can  be 
purchased  for  the  price  of  a  single  bird,  and  from  these 
a  pen  of  half  a  dozen  should  be  raised  and  selected  for 
the  next  season's  breeding.  If  one  is  not  closely  lim- 
ited as  to  means,  it  is  usually  more  satisfactory  to  pur- 
chase a  few  birds. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  the  farmer  to  start  out  as  a 
poultry  fancier  in  order  to  make  a  success  of  his  poul- 
try. The  one  who  begins  by  taking  good  care  of  the 
poultry  he  already  has  will,  before  long,  be  looking 
after  pure-bred  stock,  because  he  will  want  to  get  the 
greatest  profit,  and  will  become  convinced  that  pure- 
bred poultry  is  superior  to  any  mongrel  stock  he  may 
have.     One  breed  is  enough  to  have  on  a  farm,  and 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  89 

when  all  the  hens  look  alike  the  flock  is  much  more  at- 
tractive than  it  would  be  if  made  up  of  mixed  colors. 
Leave  the  field  open  for  the  regular  poultry  breeder 
to  have  several  varieties — he  has  time  to  devote  to 
keeping  each  kind  in  its  own  quarters.  If  you  are  a 
farmer  or  farmer's  wife  you  have  not. 

CROSSING  PURE  BREEDS 

Birds  that  are  off  color  and  poorly  marked  can 
often  be  crossed  with  another  pure  breed  to  good 
advantage.  If  a  Wyandotte  hen  will  lay  140  eggs  and 
a  rooster  of  a  different  breed  is  mated  with  her  from  a 
good  laying  strain,  the  pullets  thus  produced  will  lay 
160  to  175  eggs  in  the  same  time,  and  the  half-bred 
cockerels  are  ready  for  the  table  much  quicker,  that  is, 
at  an  earlier  age.  We  have  had  first  cross  pullets 
hatch  and  brought  up  with  pure  ones,  all  treated 
alike,  and  the  cross-bred  pullets  have  averaged  twenty 
eggs  more  each  at  eight  months  old  than  the  pure 
ones.  This  is  a  great  consideration  whether  one  keeps 
few  or  many,  but  more  particularly  when  hundreds  or 
thousands  are  kept.  The  egg  organs  are  very  much 
strengthened  when  poultry  are  crossed;  they  are 
hardier  and  can  stand  the  cold  better. 

It  is  very  essential  to  a  farmer  or  anyone  who 
keeps  a  mixed  lot  of  hens  to  have  pure  roosters  run- 
ning with  them,  as  the  progeny  from  these  will  lay 
four  to  six  weeks,  and  in  some  cases  two  months 
earlier  than  when  mongrel  cocks  are  used.  Mis- 
marked  pure-bred  birds  can  be  used  just  as  well  as  the 
best  birds  for  crossing  purposes,  and  at  the  third  of 
the  price.  This  is  one  way  the  production  of  eggs  has 
been  very  much  increased  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
especially  in  the  autumn  and  winter  months.  Twenty 
years  ago  in  England  a  farmer  never  thought  of  buy- 


9b  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

ing  a  pure-bred  rooster  to  turn  in  his  yard;  but  now, 
very  few  ever  breed  from  anything  but  a  pure  bird, 
that  is,  if  their  aim  is  to  produce  winter  eggs. —  [Wil- 
ham  Cook. 

There  are  different  breeds  of  fowls  that  can  be 
crossed  with  impunity.  By  exercising  care  and  thought, 
birds  can  be  produced  in  this  way  often  that  are 
superior  for  general  purposes,  and  especially  for 
poultry.  They  are  equally  as  profitable  or  more  so  than 
either  of  the  pure  breeds  used  for  the  purpose.  For  in- 
stance, crossing  the  Light  Brahma  with  the  Barred 
Plymouth  Rock  (using  the  Plymouth  Rock  male  and 
Brahma  female)  certainly  improves  the  poultry  stock. 
You  will  get  fully  as  large  birds  as  the  pure  Brahma 
and  birds  that  will  mature  considerably  earlier.  This 
I  know  from  recent  experience  as  well  as  from  obser- 
vation. Many  growers  cross  promiscuously.  Not 
giving  thought  to  the  subject,  they  simply  cross  some- 
thing with  something  else,  often  producing  mongrels 
of  the  meanest  type,  that  are  comparatively  worthless.: 
—  [George  Underwood. 

SOME  SERVICEABLE  CROSS-BRED  CHICKENS 

When  eggs  are  wanted,  such  fowls  as  Leghorns. 
Minorcas  and  Andalusians,  when  freely  crossed  into 
the  stock,  will  largely  increase  the  egg  average.  Even 
xyhen  the  hens  are  nearly  all  nondescripts,  the  introduc- 
tion of  male  birds  of  any  of  these  breeds  will  greatly 
improve  the  laying  stock.  An  excellent  cross  for  lay- 
ing is  a  Minorca  cock  on  Langshan  hens.  The  pullets 
are  handsome  black  fowls,  mature  early  and  lay  good 
sized,  tinted  eggs.  They  are  well  adapted  for  either 
free  range  or  small  run  and  stand  confinement  well. 
The  Andalusian-Langshan  is  another  very  good  cross 
for  laying,  the  eggs  being  large  and  mostly  colored. 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  $1 

When  big,  meaty  chickens  are  required,  it  is  not 
advisable  to  use  male  birds  such  as  Leghorn  or 
Minorca,  for  the  produce  will  be  narrow  and  deficient 
of  breast.  There  is  no  better  cross  for  producing  high- 
class  table  chickens  than  Indian  Game-Dorking.  The 
chickens  are  very  large  and  carry  a  lot  of  meat  on  the 
right  places.  The  old  English  Game  crossed  with 
Dorking  hens  results  in  chickens  that  are  more  tender 
in  flesh  than  the  Indian  Game  cross,  but  they  are  not 
so  large.  A  fowl  of  great  merit  that  is  not  made  use  of 
sufficiently  is  the  Houdan.  It  is  in  most  respects  as 
good  for  crossing  as  the  Dorking.  Chickens  from  a 
Houdan  cock,  crossed  with  Brahma,  Indian  Game,  Ply- 
mouth Rock,  Langshan  or  other  breeds,  mature  very 
quickjy  and  are  big,  meaty  birds. 

For  a  good,  useful  cross  for  all-around  purposes, 
there  is  hardly  any  better  than  the  Dorking  cock  on 
Light  Brahma  hens.  The  pullets  in  their  first  season 
will  lay  many  good  sized,  tinted  eggs,  while  for  eating 
purposes  the  chickens  are  excellent.  Generally  speak- 
ing, when  table  chickens  are  desired  Dorking,  Indian 
Game,  Houdan,  English  Game,  Langshan  and  Ply- 
mouth Rock  cocks  will  all  do  well,  whatever  the  breed 
of  the  hens  may  be. — [A.  V.  Meersch,  Dutchess 
County,  N,  Y. 

A  good  cross-bred  fowl  for  the  production  of 
eggs,  as  well  as  market  poultry,  is  obtained  by  crossing 
White  Leghorn  cocks  and  Light  Brahma  hens.  I.  K. 
Felch,  the  well-known  Massachusetts  Light  Brahma 
breeder  and  poultry  judge,  who  has  tried  it,  says  that 
the  resulting  progeny  is  nearly  as  large  as  the  Brahma 
in  size,  almost  as  prolific  in  eggs  as  the  White  Leghorn, 
while  the  majority  of  eggs  are  laid  during  the  fall  and 
winter  months.  Most  of  the  fowls  will  come  pure 
white  in  color  and  will  lay  dark-colored  eggs.  He 
does  not  advocate  more  than  the  first  cross  and  says 


92  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

that  where  farmers  do  not  care  to  breed  pure  stock 
no  better  fowls  can  be  obtained  than  this  cross. 
One  must  necessarily  keep  a  pen  of  pure  Brahma  hens 
in  order  to  get  the  eggs. 

THE    BREEDING    PEN 

It  will  pay  generally  to  have  a  house  and  yard  for 
a  breeding  pen.  In  this  should  be  placed  a  dozen  or 
fifteen  of  the  best  hens  and  pullets  and  one  or  two  fine 
males.  These  will  provide  eggs  enough  to  raise  200  or 
300  chicks,  and  give  better  results  than  if  the  eggs  are 
saved  promiscuously  from  the  flock. 

THE   TEST   OF    BREED 

"Uncle,  what  breed  of  chickens  is  the  best  ?" 
"Well,  sah,  de  white  ones  is  de  easiest  found,  and 
the  dahk  ones  is  de  easiest  hid  arter  yo'  gits  'em." 

The  old  darkey  who  made  the  above  sage  remark 
was  just  about  right.  The  white  fowls,  although  they 
show  off  the  best  on  a  lawn  or  field,  are  easiest  seen  by 
hawks  and  other  chicken  thieves.  For  this  reason  many 
farmers  who  keep  fowls  on  the  open  range  prefer  dark- 
colored  birds,  for  the  losses  by  hawks  and  crows  are 
less.  On  the  other  hand  the  white  fowls  dress  off  the 
nicest,  as  the  pinfeathers  do  not  show  as  plainly. 

VARIETIES  OF  POULTRY 

There  are  thirty-eight  breeds,  with  88  varieties; 
in  all  104  kinds  recognized  by  the  Standard.  There 
are  several  not  yet  recognized  by  the  American 
Poultry  association.  For  practical  purposes  these 
can  be  divided  into  four  classes,  viz:  those 
adapted  for  the  production  of  meat,  eggs,  general  pur- 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  93 

poses  and  fancy.  These  classifications  cannot  be  made 
arbitrary,  for  a  breed  of  one  class  in  the  hands  of  one 
man  may  do  as  well  or  better  for  the  production  of 
eggs  than  one  of  the  tgg  breeds  in  the  hands  of 
another  poultry  keeper.  Any  breed  or  variety  of 
standard-bred  poultry  will,  if  properly  handled,  do  well 
and  return  a  profit  for  their  keeping.  If  as  much  care 
and  attention  was  bestowed  upon  feeding  and  care  as 
upon  the  question  of  the  best  fowls  to  keep,  better 
results  would  be  obtained. 

THE  MEAT  BREEDS 

This  term  is  used  to  designate  those  breeds  whose 
greatest  usefulness  is  the  production  of  meat.  Most  of 
these  fowls  are  of  Asiatic  origin,  are  of  large  size, 
compactly  built  and  quite  similar  in  general  shape  and 
outline.  As  a  rule  the  Asiatic  breeds  are  larger  and 
more  compactly  built  than  the  Mediterranean,  broader 
and  deeper  in  body,  fuller  in  breast,  with  relatively 
shorter  necks  and  legs.  They  are  generally  classed  as 
poor  layers  and  are  persistent  sitters,  yet  some  strains 
and  varieties  produce  a  large  number  of  eggs  during 
the  year.  They  lay  large,  brown  eggs.  They  are  more 
or  less  sluggish  in  disposition,  becoming  very  tame  and 
gentle  with  careful  treatment,  do  not  range  far  and  are 
well  adapted  for  small  flocks  and  yards.  Because  of 
their  large,  heavy  bodies  they  are  easily  confined  with 
a  low  fence.  Their  development  is  slow  and  It  requires 
from  eight  to  twelve  months  for  them  to  reach  matu- 
rity. 

The  Brahmas  are  the  largest  of  all  breeds  and  are 
very  hardy  fowls.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  Light 
(Figure  28)  and  the  Dark.  The  Light  Brahmas  are  a 
pound  heavier  than  the  Dark  variety,  standard  weights 
being,  cock,  twelve  pounds ;  cockerel,  ten  ;  hen,  nine  and 


94 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


one-half;  pullet,  eight.  The  Light  Brahmas  are  con- 
sidered good  winter  layers  and  without  doubt  are 
the  best  fowl  for  roasting  purposes.  They  are  very 
popular  throughout  southeastern  New  England.     The 


-*i 


m 


^/C^ 


FIG.   28 PAIR   OF   LIGHT  BRAHMAS 


Brahmas  have  low  pea  combs  and  are  heavily  feath- 
ered. They  need  to  be  hatched  early  in  order  to  get 
the  pullets  laying  by  winter. 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING 


95 


The  Cochins  are  distinctive  in  both  shape  and 
color.  They  are  a  pound  Hghter  in  weight  than  Light 
Brahmas.  Cochins  are  the  least  restive  of  all  breeds 
in  confinement  and  are  very  persistent  sitters.  Of  late 
years  they  have  been  bred  with  very  long,  loose  feath- 
ers and  the  &gg  qualities  have  been  neglected.  There 
are  four  varieties,  the  Buff,  Black,  Partridge  and 
White.  The  Buff  Cochins  are  as  pure  buff  as  any  of 
the  buff  breeds  and  they  have  been  largely  used  in 
improving  the  color  of  other  buff  breeds.  This  variety 
is  the  most  popular.  They  have  small,  single  combs 
and  are  useful  to  the  amateur  who  wants  to  keep  a 
small  flock  in  close  confinement. 

The  Langshans  (Figure  29)  are  more  rangy  in 
shape  than  either  Cochins  or  Brahmas.  They  are  one 
pound  lighter  in  weight  than  Cochins,  are  good  winter 
layers  and  the  eggs  sometimes  have  a  purplish  tint. 
They  have  medium  sized  combs,  red  ear  lobes,  with 
shanks  and  toes  feathered,  but  not  as  heavily  as 
Brahmas  or  Cochins.  The  tails  are  large  and  well  car- 
ried out.  There  are  three  varieties,  the  Black,  White 
and  Blue  (non-standard),  the  latter  being  quite  rare. 

THE   FRENCH    MEAT   BREEDS 

French  poultry  keepers  have  paid  particular 
attention  to  the  production  of  a  choice  quality  of  meat. 
They  have  several  breeds  which  have  been  kept  mainly 
for  this  purpose.  The  flesh  is  white,  tender,  juicy  and 
the  fowls  heavily  breasted.  As  they  are  only  fair  egg 
producers  they  are  seen  but  little  in  this  country  except 
at  poultry  shows. 

Faverolles  are  a  class  of  cross-bred  fowls  which 
have  supplanted  the  Houdan  and  other  breeds  in  some 
parts  of  France.  They  are  noted  for  quick  maturity 
and  the  fine  quality  of  young  broilers  and  roasters. 


96 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


They  are  a  cross  of  Cochin,  Dorking  and  Houdan, 
bred  with  white  skin  and  Hght  colored  shanks,  usually 
five  toes  and  shanks  slightly  feathered,  although  often 


FIG.   29 — BLACK    LANGSHAN    PULLET 

smooth  where  the  Dorking  blood  predominates.     In 
size  they  equal  Plymouth  Rocks  and  Wyandottes. 

The  La  Fleche  are  a  black  breed  with  V-shaped 
comb  of  medium  size,  branching,  and  two  antler-like 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  97 

horns  opening  upward.  The  breast  is  very  broad  and 
very  prominent,  tail  very  long,  full  and  carried  rather 
low  in  males,  upright  and  well  expanded  in  females. 

The  Crevecoeurs  are  another  black  breed,  having 
a  large  crest  with  a  medium  sized  V-shaped  comb. 

THE    EGG    BREEDS 

These  include  all  the  small  or  medium  sized  breeds 
that  have  a  strong  tendency  toward  egg  production. 
They  are  generally  poor  sitters,  of  a  nervous  tempera- 
ment, take  flight  readily  when  frightened,  and  the  meat 
does  not  rank  high  for  table  purposes  except  when  the 
fowls  are  young.  They  mature  very  quickly  and  make 
good  broilers  up  to  ten  or  twelve  weeks  of  age.  While 
mature  fowls  of  some  of  the  heaviest  breeds  will  weigh 
six  to  eight  pounds,  the  weight  is  seldom  mentioned  in 
descriptions,  as  egg  production  is  the  real  aim  for 
which  they  are  bred  and  kept.  They  are  somewhat  ten- 
der while  young  and  very  active,  quick,  alert  and  great 
foragers.  They  do  not  stand  confinement  well  and 
readily  fly  over  the  highest  fences.  Large,  square 
yards  provided  with  plenty  of  shade  and  hiding  places 
are  most  suitable.  The  young  birds  feather  very 
quickly,  which  is  a  great  drain  on  the  system,  hence 
makes  them  delicate  for  a  time.  Nearly  all  of  the  egg 
breeds  have  large  combs  and  wattles,  hence  are  sen- 
sitive to  cold.  Some  of  them  have  such  very  large 
combs  that  extra  precautions  are  needed  to  keep  them 
from  freezing.  The  egg  breeds  commonly  kept  in  the 
United  States  comprise  the  so-called  Mediterranean 
fowls,  which  include  the  Leghorns,  Minorcas,  Anconas, 
Andalusians  and  Spanish.  To  these  should  be  added 
the  Hamburg,  Houdan,  the  Redcap,  and  possibly  some 
others.     They  lay  white  shelled  eggs. 


98 


MAKING    POULTRY    PAY 


The  Leghorns — The  present  standard  recognizes 
five  distinct  color  varieties,  viz,  Black,  Brown  (Figure 
30),  Buff,  Silver  Duckwing  and  White.  (See  Frontis- 
piece.) If  we  include  shape,  we  can  add  three  more — 
Rose  Comb  Brown,  Rose  Comb  Buff  and  Rose  Comb 


FIG.  30 PAIR  SINGLE-COMB  BROWN  LEGHORNS 


White.  Besides  these  there  are  at  least  three  or  four 
in  the  course  of  formation,  not  to  mention  the  Golden, 
Silver  Pyle  and  the  Cuckoo,  as  named  and  recognized 
by  the  Fanciers'  Club  of  England.  The  Leghorn, 
while  a  breed  of  great  merit,  is  not  a  breed  for  every 
man  and  every  place.     Put  the  Leghorn  in  its  place 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING  99 

and  there  is  no  fowl  on  terra  firma  that  can  surpass  it ; 
but  if  subjected  to  conditions  that  are  not  suitable  to 
their  wants,  failure  and  disgust  are  inevitable.  The 
person  who  endeavors  to  keep  a  flower  garden,  kitchen 
garden  and  poultry  yard  all  in  the  same  enclosure,  will 
find  that  the  Leghorn  is  a  fowl  not  suitable  for  its 
environment.  The  Leghorns  are  ambitious  and  always 
willing  to  work,  and  if  there  is  any  scratching  in  sight 
they  are  in  for  it,  no  matter  whether  it  is  in  a  heap  of 
barnyard  produce  or  a  fancy  posy  bed.  Practically  it 
is  all  the  same  to  them.  The  only  way  that  the  Leg- 
horns can  be  kept  successfully  is  to  provide  them  with 
quarters  by  themselves,  or  else  keep  everything  that 
they  can  harm  beyond  their  reach.  In  such  a  way  they 
can  be  raised  and  bred  with  the  best  of  success,  and 
return  number  one  results  to  the  owner.  The  Leg- 
horns are  very  nervous  fowls  and  whenever  danger 
approaches  their  first  impulse  is  to  get  out  of  the  way. 
They  generally  do  it  by  using  their  wings,  and  if  the 
yard  is  narrow  the  probabilities  are  they  will  go  out. 
This  will  often  be  the  case  if  the  fowl  sees  or  thinks 
it  sees  a  prospect  of  being  cornered.  In  a  large  square 
yard  the  fowl  is  given  a  better  opportunity  of  getting 
out  of  harm's  way  without  resorting  to  its  wings,  in 
fact,  it  does  not  require  long  before  the  fowl  seems  to 
forget  the  use  of  its  wings  as  a  means  of  getting  out 
of  difficulties. —  [C.  P.  Reynolds  in  American  Fancier. 
The  Minorcas  (Figure  31)  are  next  to  Leghorns 
in  popularity.  They  are  of  much  larger  size,  standard 
weights  for  Single  Comb  Blacks  being,  cock,  nine 
pounds:  cockerel,  seven  and  one-half;  hen,  seven  and 
one-half;  pullet,  six  and  one-half,  although  they  are 
frequently  bred  no  larger  than  Leghorns,  which  Is 
from  one  to  three  pounds  smaller  than  standard 
weights.  The  standard  weights  for  Rose  Comb  Black 
and  for  White  are  one  pound  lighter.  They  are  grow- 


lOO 


MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 


ing  rapidly  in  popular  favor  and  lay  very  large,  white 
eggs,  but  do  not  mature  quickly.     They  have  longer, 


,r^ 

■'^  ii^'^K 

7| A 

k 

v>  '.'j^PgpIBB 

^ 

, 

/i  l^Hpl^B 

^^HL  ^ 

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n^ 

.jJfvsBm 

mm 

f 

^■y^m 

1 

m 

1^51  ^ 

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FIG.  31 — ROSE   COMB  BLACK   MINORCA 

deeper  bodies  than  the  Leghorns,  are  not  as  wild  and 
nervous   in   disposition.     There   are   both   Black   and 


BREEDS   AND   BREEDING 


lOI 


White  varieties,  and   single   and   rose   comb   sub-va- 
rieties. 

The  White-Faced  Black  Spanish  (Figure  32),  a 
once  popular  breed,  are  now  little  seen.  Their  practical 
qualities  seem  to  be  somewhat  neglected  through  the 


FIG.  2,^ — PAIR  WHITE  FACED  BLACK  SPANISH 

desire  to  breed  them  with  large,  white  faces,  which 
gives  them  a  peculiar  appearance.  They  are  glossy- 
black  in  color,  lay  very  large  eggs  and  the  young  are 
quite  delicate. 


102 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


The  Andalusians  are  in  shape  and  size  between 
the  Leghorns  and  the  Minorcas.  Their  plumage  is  of 
a  bluish  gray  color,  but  they  do  not  breed  very  true, 


FIG.  33 ANCONA  PULLET 

a  flock  showing  many  shades.  They  are  excellent  lay- 
ers but  the  color  of  skin  and  shanks  is  against  them, 
the  skin  being  white,  the  shanks  and  toes  a  blue  or 
leaden  blue. 


BREEDS  AND  BREEDING 


103 


Anconas  (Figure  33)  are  becoming  popular. 
They  are  excellent  layers  of  white  eggs,  belong  to  the 
Mediterranean  class  and  in  color  are  black  and  white. 


FIG.    34 — HOUDAN    COCK 


104  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

Redcaps  are  another  rare  breed  which  may  be 
aptly  described  as  large  Hamburgs  with  red  ear 
lobes.  Their  colors  are  red,  brown  and  black,  each 
feather  ending  with  a  black  spangle,  shaped  lik£  a  half 
moon.  They  have  a  very  large  rose  comb,  the  larger 
the  better   for  fancy  points. 

The  Hamburgs  have  long  been  known  as  prolific 
egg  producers.  They  are  quite  delicate  when  young 
and  lay  small  eggs,  but  are  outclassed  by  the  hardy 
Leghorns.  They  are  small,  active  fowls  and  probably  no 
breed  likes  a  wide  range  better  than  the  Hamburgs. 
Their  small  size  makes  them  unprofitable  as  table  fowls, 
but  under  proper  conditions  they  will  equal  the  Leg- 
horns in  egg  production.  The  recognized  varieties  are 
Black,  Golden  Penciled,  Silver  Penciled,  Golden  Span- 
gled, Silver  Spangled  and  White. 

The  Hoiidan  (Figure  34)  is  a  French  breed  of 
medium  size,  crested  with  a  V-shaped  comb ;  plumage 
black  and  white  intermixed,  the  black  slightly  predom- 
inating. They  are  the  most  popular  French  variety 
bred  in  the  United  States.  They  rank  high  as  egg  pro- 
ducers and  furnish  a  moderate  quantity  of  fine  flesh. 
The  five  toes  and  the  crest  are  objectionable  features. 

GENERAL  PURPOSE  BREEDS 

These  Include  such  fowls  as  may  be  profitably  kept 
for  the  production  of  both  meat  and  eggs,  particularly 
under  conditions  that  require  natural  incubation.  These 
fowls  are  adapted  to  the  common  and  general  condi- 
tions found  in  this  country.  The  term  general  purpose 
is  relative.  It  is  meant  to  cover  particularly  the  so- 
called  American  breeds  and  others  of  like  type.  Gen- 
eral farm  conditions  demand  a  fowl  that  is  a  good 
layer  and  at  the  same  time  produces  an  abundance  of 
good  meat.     The  farmer  demands  a  fowl  that  is  a 


BREEDS   AND   BREEDING 


105 


FIG.  35 — BARRED  PLYMOUTH  ROCK  COCKEREL 


io6 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


good  winter  layer  and  when  he  wants  poultry  for  the 
table  he  wants  a  fowl  that  is  big  enough  to  make  a 
meal  for  an  ordinary  sized  family.  These  fowls  are 
usually  of  medium  size  and  do  not  go  to  either  ex- 
treme in  weight.  They  lay  brown  shelled  or  tinted 
eggs.  They  are  bulky,  have  compact  bodies,  are  of  a 
quiet  disposition,  grow  quickly,  are  hardy,  good  sitters 


FIG.    36 — BARRED   PLYMOUTH    ROCK    HEN 


and  more  or  less  good  foragers,  endure  cold  weather 
well  and  occupy  a  medium  position  between  the  Med- 
iterraneans and  Asiatics  as  regards  size,  egg  produc- 
tion and  docility.  Some  strains  are  as  good  layers  as 
Leghorns. 


BREEDS   AND   BREEDING 


107 


Plymouth  Rocks  are  now  bred  in  several  varieties 
—the  Barred  (Figures  35  and  36),  both  single  and  pea 
comb,  Buff,  White,  (Plgure  2)7)^  Partridge  and  the 
Silver  Penciled.    The  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  is  almost 


FIG.    2i7 — WHITE   PLYMOUTH    ROCK    HEN,    SCORED 


too  well  known  to  need  description.  It  is  the  most 
popular  fowl  in  America  and  is  found  in  larger  num- 
bers and  on  more  farms  than  any  other  breed,  where  it 
has  held  its  own  way  by  merit  alone.  It  is  of  large 
size,  standard  weights  being,  cock,  nine  and  one-half 


io8 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


pounds ;  cockerel,  eight ;  hen,  seven  and  one-half  and 
pullet,  six  and  one-half.  It  has  a  deep,  well-rounded 
body,  small  to  medium  comb,  with  yellow  skin  and  legs. 
The  plumage  is  of  a  bluish  gray,  barred  with  narrow, 
parallel  lines  of  a  dark  blue.  They  are  excellent 
mothers,   kind,   and  persistent   sitters.     Probably  no 


'hX-A^^\Jt9^''.- 


FIG.    38 — A    PAIR    OF    GOLDEN    WYANDOTTES 

breed  better  combines  qualities  of  egg  production  and 
a  large  amount  of  good  meat  for  the  table.  They  rank 
nearly  equal  to  Leghorns  as  layers.  There  are  authen- 
tic records  of  over  230  eggs  laid  in  a  year.  The  other 
varieties  differ  from  the  Barred  only  in  color  of 
plumage. 


BREEDS  AND   BREEDING 


109 


The  Wyandottes — The  original  stock  of  the  Silver 
Wyandottes  was  derived  from  a  cross  of  Silver  Span- 
gled Hamburg  and  Buff  Cochin  and  was  called  Amer- 
ican Sebrights.  It  was  first  mentioned  in  1868.  Later 
a  cross  of  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  and  Dark  Brahma 


FIG.    39 PAIR   OF   SILVER   LACED   WYANDOTTES 


was  used  on  this  cross,  and  from  this  sprang  the  pres- 
ent breed,  which  had  its  first  boom  in  the  early  eighties. 
They  are  more  blocky  in  shape  than  Plymouth  Rocks 
and  one  pound  lighter.     They  are  very  useful  for  the 


no 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


production  of  broilers,  as  when  well  fed  are  always 
plump.  For  utility  purposes  they  equal  Plymouth 
Rocks.     The  standard  recognizes  the  following  varie- 


FIG.  40 — PRIZE  WINNING  WHITE  WYANDOTTE  COCK 


ties:  Black,  Buff,  Golden,  Partridge,  Silver  (Figure 
39),  Silver  Penciled  (Figure  38)  White  (Figure  40) 
and  Columbian. 


BREEDS  AND  BREEDING 


III 


Rhode  Island  Reds  are  a  comparatively  new  breed. 
There  are  both  single  and  rose-comb  (Figure  41) 
varieties.  They  are  rapidly  growing  in  popularity, 
particularly  in  New  England,  where  they  originated. 


FIG.   41 — PAIR   OF   ROSE-COMB   RHODE   ISLAND   REDS 


In  color  they  are  a  reddish  buff  with  strong  tendency 
to  variation  in  shade.  They  are  excellent  layers  and 
somewhat  smaller  than  Plymouth  Rocks. 


112 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


The  Biickeys,  recently  admitted  to  the  standard, 
are  virtually  a  pea-comb  Rhode  Island  Red  and  were 
first  admitted  under  the  name  of  American  Reds. 


FIG.  42 — MOTTLED  JAVA  COCKEREL 

The  Rhode  Island  Whites  are  a  Rhode  Island 
breed  which  originated  with  J.  Alonzo  Jocoy.  They 
closely   resemble   the   White    Wyandottes   and   they 


BREEDS   AND    BREEDING  II3 

have  been  bred  particularly  to  produce  roasters  and 
broilers,  but  are  excellent  layers. 

The  American  Dominique  is  one  of  the  oldest  of 
American  breeds.  The  color  is  a  grayish  white,  some- 
thing like  yet  lighter  than  Plymouth  Rocks.  They  are 
compact  and  hardy,  have  rose  combs  and  are  about  the 
size  of  Wyandottes.  They  are  a  useful  breed,  but  the 
larger  size  of  Plymouth  Rocks  has  made  the  latter 
more  popular. 

The  Javas  are  a  valuable,  useful,  non-popular 
breed.  The  lack  of  popularity  is  undoubtedly  due  to 
the  color  of  both  plumage  and  skin,  the  latter  being 
white  with  black  or  leaden  color  shanks  and  toes. 
They  are  as  large  as  Plymouth  Rocks,  good  layers, 
sitters  and  mothers,  mature  quickly  and  produce  a 
good  quality  of  meat.  There  are  two  varieties,  the 
Black  and  Mottled  (Figure  42),  the  plumage  of  the 
latter  being  a  mixture  of  black  and  white. 

The  Dorkings,  the  most  popular  breed  in  England, 
are  little  known  in  the  United  States.  They  are  noted 
for  the  fine  quality  of  meat.  They  have  long  bodies, 
comparatively  short  legs,  and  are  rather  delicate.  The 
white  skin  and  fifth  toe  are  objectionable  to  Americans. 
As  a  breed  they  are  rather  poor  layers.  There  are 
three  varieties,  the  Colored,  Silver  Gray  and  White, 
which  vary  not  only  in  color  but  in  size,  the  Colored 
being  the  largest  and  the  White  the  smallest. 

Orpingtons  are  the  newest  English  breed,  now 
quite  popular  and  attracting  considerable  attention.  In 
size  they  rank  with  Plymouth  Rocks.  They  are  hardy, 
good  layers  and  are  a  useful  general  purpose  fowl. 
They  have  white  skin  and  pink  shanks,  which  is  ob- 
jectionable from  the  American  standpoint.  There  are 
several  varieties  and  sub-varieties.  The  Buff  (Figure 
43)  is  the  most  popular.    There  are  also  the  White, 


114 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


Black,  Golden  Jubilee  and  Spangled.    They  are  bred 
with  both  single  and  rose  combs. 

The  Indian  Games  can  properly  be  put  in  the  class 


FIG.   43 BUFF   ORPINGTON   COCK 

of  general  purpose  fowls,  although  they  are  bred  par- 
ticularly for  meat  qualities.  They  are  of  a  large  size, 
ranking  with  Plymouth  Rocks  in  this  respect.  They 
have  prominent  breasts  and  thighs,  a  coarse,  thick  head 


BREEDa   AND   BREEDING 


115 


and  a  small  pea  comb,  thick,  heavy  shanks  and  tail  car- 
ried low,  which  gives  them  a  peculiar  appearance.  The 
meat  is  very  firm  and  being  closely  feathered  it  makes 


FIG.  44 — CORNISH   INDIAN   COCK 


their  size  deceptive  as  regards  weight.  They  are  rather 
poor  layers.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  Cornish 
(Figure  44)  and  the  White.    They  are  very  useful 


Il6  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

to  cross  on  other  fowls  in  order  to  improve  the  table 
qualities. 

THE  FANCY  BREEDS 

In  this  class  may  be  put  most  of  the  other  varieties 
of  poultry.  Some  of  them,  like  the  Polish,  are  remark- 
ably good  layers,  others,  like  the  Games,  furnish  the 
highest  quality  of  meat  for  the  table,  yet  none  of  them 
are  kept  in  a  commercial  way  as  farm  poultry.  Among 
them  are  many  oddities  such  as  the  Silkies,  which  have 
webless,  hair-like  feathers;  Frizzles,  having  feathers 
curled  backward  at  the  end ;  Rumpless,  which  are  tail- 
less fowls ;  Sumatras,  black  fowls  with  heavy  drooping 
tails;  Russians,  black  bearded  fowls  with  rose  combs 
having  no  spike. 

The  Games  include  a  large  number  of  varieties 
and  can  easily  be  divided  into  two  general  classes — pit 
and  exhibition.  The  former  are  prized  for  their  fight- 
ing qualities  and  are  bred  with  this  one  end  in  view. 
There  are  many  strains  and  families  with  a  great  diver- 
sity of  color  and  markings  which  are  not  generally 
uniform.  They  are  heavily  meated  birds  with  close 
plumage  and  large  flowing  tails.  They  are  very  pug- 
nacious in  disposition  and  because  of  their  fighting 
qualities  are  not  a  profitable  breed  to  raise,  as  the 
young  males  when  but  a  few  months  old  fall  to  fighting 
among  themselves  and  keep  it  up  until  either  disabled 
or  killed.  The  hens  are  also  inclined  to  kill  chicks  of 
other  broods.  They  are  handsome  fowls,  fair  to  good 
layers,  and  are  most  profitable  in  small  flocks.  The  ex- 
hibition Games  are  distinctive  in  style  and  type.  They 
have  been  bred  with  exceptionally  long  legs,  neck  and 
head.  They  are  closely  feathered  and  have  a  small 
tail  carried  nearly  level.  The  varieties  are  Blacks, 
Birchen,   Black  Breasted  Red    (the  most  popular), 


BREEDS    AND    BREEDING 


117 


Brown  Red,  Golden  Duckwing,  Silver  Duckwing,  Red 
Pyle  and  White. 

The  Polish  are  distinctly  a  fancier's  fowl.  The 
demand  for  them  is  small.  They  are  delicate,  particu- 
larly when  young,  good  layers  of  white  eggs  and  non- 
sitters.  Their  flesh  is  of  fine  quality.  The  varieties 
are  Bearded  Golden,  Bearded  Silver,  Bearded  White, 
Buff  Laced,  Golden,  Silver,  White  and  White  Crested 
Black.    They  are  very  handsome  in  plumage. 


FIG.  45— 


RED  PYLE  GAME  BANTAM  HEN 


WHITE  COCHIN  BANTAM   COCK 


The  Bantams  include  the  dwarfs  of  poultrydom. 
They  are  diminutive  in  size  but  of  the  same  shape, 
color  and  markings  of  the  large  breeds  from  which 
they  were  developed.  Some  of  them  are  excellent 
layers  and  can  be  profitably  kept  for  eggs  to  supply 
the  home  table  where  quarters  are  so  limited  as  to  pre- 
clude the  keeping  of  larger  fowls.     There  are  many 


Il8  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

varieties  and  the  number  is  constantly  being  added  to, 
the  latest  being  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  and  Rhode 
Island  Red.  Recognized  standard  varieties  are  Booted 
White,  Buff  Cochin,  Black  Cochin,  Partridge  Cochin, 
White  Cochin  (Figure  45  right  hand),  Light  Brahma, 
Dark  Brahma,  Game  (same  varieties  as  Standard 
Games),  Golden  Sebright,  Silver  Sebright,  Black 
Tailed  Japanese,  Black  Japanese,  White  Japanese, 
Rose  Comb  White,  Rose  Comb  Black,  Buff  Laced 
White  and  Bearded  White  Polish,  and  Malay. 


CHAPTER  V 
Feeds  and  Feeding 

The  subject  of  feeding  for  eggs  demands  the  most 
careful  attention  on  the  part  of  the  poultry  keeper  who 
would  get  best  results.  The  breed,  quarters,  season  of 
the  year,  foods  available  and  cost,  all  have  an  important 
bearing.  The  prime  function  of  food  is  to  support  life 
— to  keep  the  body  warm.  Any  excess  over  the 
amount  required  for  this  purpose  is  turned  into  energy 
of  one  kind  or  another  and  with  fowls  generally  goes 
to  eggs  or  growth.  Therefore,  to  secure  an  abundance 
of  eggs  it  becomes  necessary  to  feed  the  hen  such  a 
variety  and  quantity  of  foods  as  will  supply  her  bodily 
needs  and  leave  a  surplus  that  will  be  turned  into 
eggs.  No  single  food  forms  a  complete  ration  for 
poultry.  They  may  subsist  for  a  time  on  one,  but 
sooner  or  later  will  cease  to  thrive  and  eventually  per- 
ish by  starvation.  It  is  fortunate  that  a  variety  is 
required,  for  this  allows  the  poultry  keeper  to  select 
such  foods  as  will  make  up  a  ration  to  give  the  best 
results  with  his  flock. 

Corn  is  the  most  widely  used  of  any  grain  in 
America.  This  because  it  is  cheap  and  abundant, 
raised  by  most  farmers,  nearly  always  at  hand,  easy  to 
handle  and  universally  liked  by  poultry.  In  fact,  fowls 
prefer  corn  to  any  other  grain  and  when  fed  a  mixture 
will  pick  up  the  corn  first.  But  corn  is  a  heating  and 
fattening  food  and  needs  other  grains  to  properly 
balance  it.  It  should  be  fed  in  greater  quantities  in 
winter  than  in  summer,  and  more  to  the  active  breeds 
than  to  the  larger,  sluggish  ones 

119 


120  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

Wheat  comes  next  to  corn  in  popularity,  but  is 
much  higher  in  price.  It  is  considered  a  better  Qgg 
producing  food.  The  best  grades  of  milhng  wheats 
are  generally  too  expensive  for  poultry.  Some  of  the 
lower  grades  have  nearly  as  high  a  feeding  value,  such 
for  instance  as  No.  3  Red.  Scorched  wheat,  which  is 
wheat  that  has  come  through  a  fire  or  has  been  badly 
heated,  is  generally  of  low  feeding  value. 

Oats  are  a  valuable  food  too  little  used.  The  only 
objection  to  them  is  the  long  spike  which  often  sticks 
in  the  crop  and  causes  trouble.  Clipping  machines  are 
made  which  cut  off  this  long  end,  making  the  kernels 
shorter,  and  such  oats  are  sold  largely  in  eastern  cities 
as  "clipped"  oats.  They  weigh  about  forty  pounds  to 
the  measured  bushel.  Oats  are  a  nitrogenous  food  and 
give  the  fowls  lots  of  vim  and  nerve.  They  should  be 
fed  in  larger  quantities  in  summer  than  in  winter,  and 
may  at  all  times  form  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
ration,  either  whole  or  ground. 

Barley  is  of  nearly  the  same  composition  as  oats 
and  may  be  fed  with  equally  good  results  where  it  can 
be  obtained  at  a  reasonable  price. 

The  above  grains  form  the  principal  sources  of 
food  for  poultry,  but  buckwheat,  Kafir  corn,  millet  and 
other  small  seeds  are  used  to  some  extent. 

One  feed  a  day  of  ground  grains  mixed  up  with 
water  or  milk  into  a  crumbly  mash  is  commonly  fed  in 
winter  and  frequently  the  year  round.  While  not 
absolutely  necessary  to  use  mash,  this  mixture  forms 
a  convenient  feed  in  which  a  large  variety  of  low 
priced  products  can  be  used.  It  is  immaterial  when  the 
mash  be  fed — some  giving  it  in  the  morning  and  others 
at  night.  The  danger  is  in  overfeeding  during  fall  and 
winter  when  fowls  are  not  laying,  and  getting  them 
too  fat.  They  will  eat  more  food  in  mash  form  in  a 
given  time  than  they  will  of  whole  grain.    A  good  plan 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  121 

IS  to  feed  only  what  they  will  eat  clean  in  five  minutee, 
then  give  them  a  little  grain  in  an  hour  or  two  in  the 
litter  to  keep  them  busy. 

A  comparison  of  feeding  a  part  of  the  ration  in 
the  form  of  ground  grain  with  the  entire  ration  com- 
posed of  whole  grain  has  been  made  by  the  West 
Virginia  experiment  station,  and  the  result  is  pub- 
lished in  Bulletin  83.  One  flock  of  fowls  was  fed  a 
mash  in  the  morning,  a  second  flock  a  mash  at 
night,  and  the  third  flock  had  only  whole  grain. 
Results  showed  very  little  difference  between  feeding 
the  mash  in  the  morning  or  at  night,  but  a  material 
gain  in  egg  production  in  the  use  of  a  mash  in  compari- 
son with  whole  grain.  The  pens  which  were  fed  mash  at 
night  laid  11 66  eggs,  the  pens  fed  mash  in  the  morn- 
ing 1 1 59  eggs,  and  the  pens  receiving  whole  grain 
1006.  Trials  with  yearling  hens  gave  a  less  difference 
in  favor  of  the  mash. 

Somewhat  similar  work,  has  been  carried  on  by  the 
New  York  experiment  station  at  Geneva,  with  White 
Leghorns  and  Buff  Cochins.  The  Leghorns  having 
their  grain  food  only  dry  and  whole,  ate  more  food  at 
greater  cost  per  fowl  and  for  the  live  weight  than  did 
two  similar  lots  having  about  thirty-seven  per  cent  of 
their  grain  ground  and  moistened.  With  the  Cochins 
better  results  were  obtained  where  all  the  grain  was 

fed  whole.  This  was  prob- 
ably due  to  the  benefit  de- 
rived     from      having     to 
scratch  in  the  litter  for  it. 
FIG.  46 — FEED  TROUGH       The  Hatch  experiment  sta- 
tion of  Massachusetts  has  found  but  little  difference 
in  the  number  of  eggs  produced   from   feeding  the 
mash  in  the  morning  or  at  night. 

In  the  winter  egg  laying  contest  conducted  by 
Farm  &  Home  from  November  i,  1906  to  April  i,  1907 


122  MAKING   rOULTRY   PAY 

the  feeding  of  mash  once  a  day  gave  rather  disappoint- 
ing results.  There  were  over  7000  hens  in  this  contest. 
The  greatest  egg  yield  and  profit  was  obtained  from 
those  flocks  which  had  dry  ground  grain  constantly 
before  them  in  hoppers.  They  produced  an  average 
of  fifty-six  eggs  per  hen  during  the  five  months  at  a 
food  cost  of  forty-five  cents.  The  flocks  fed  entirely 
on  whole  grain  produced  an  average  of  forty-seven 
eggs  per  hen  at  a  food  cost  of  thirty  cents,  while 
those  fowls  which  had  one  or  more  feeds  a  day  of  a 
mash  averaged  thirty-eight  eggs  each  at  a  cost  of  forty 
cents  for  food. 

The  mash  is  commonly  fed  in  troughs.  A  good 
one  is  shown  in  Figure  46.  This  is  made  of  a  piece 
of  board  six  inches  wide  and  three  feet  ten  and  one- 
half  inches  long.  That  is  nailed  securely  to  two  ''feet," 
which  are  pieces  of  two  by  four-inch  scantling  a  foot 
long  each  on  the  bottom,  but  scarfed  ofif  to  about  seven 
or  eight  inches  on  top ;  these  are  set  about  five  inches 
in  from  the  ends.  The  end  pieces  are  seven  inches 
high,  six  inches  wide  at  base,  and  narrow  to  two  and 
one-half  inches  at  top;  the  sides  being  perpendicular 
for  one  and  one-half  inches,  and  then  narrowing.  The 
ends  are  nailed  on  to  the  bottom  board,  and  the  top 
strip,  of  two  and  one-half  inch  furring,  is  inserted 
between  the  ends  and  nailed — this  last  point  being  to 
guard  against  the  nails  drawing  out  when  the  trough 
is  lifted  by  the  top,  which  serves  as  a  handle.  Good 
clear  laths  nailed  along  the  sides  and  to  the  end  pieces, 
make  a  sufficient  side  guard  to  the  trough,  projecting 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  above  it,  which  is 
ample  protection  for  the  food  put  upon  it.  When  this 
trough  is  intended  for  outdoor  use  a  quarter-inch  hole 
is  bored  in  each  corner,  to  allow  the  water  to  run  oi¥ 
during  a  rain. 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING 


123 


FIG.  47 SELF  FEEDER 


Some  use  a  self  feeder  for  the  grain  and  feed  only 
a  whole  grain  ration.  This  will  answer  with  Leghorns 
and  other  active  breeders  but  is  not  so  satisfactory  for 
the  larger  breeds,  which  get  too  fat  and  stop  laying  if 
feed  is  constantly  before  them.  The  self  feeder  consists 
of  a  hopper  which  exposes 
only  a  little  grain  at  once. 
It  is  simple  in  construction 
and  may  be  of  any  size  de- 
sired, but  for  thirty  or  forty 
hens  it  should  be  about  one 
foot  wide,  three  feet  long 
and  one  and  one-half  feet 
high.  A  good  pattern  is 
shown  in  Figure  47.  The 
ends,  a  a,  should  be  cut  as  shown,  then  a  board  as 
wide  as  the  ends  and  as  long  as  the  feeder  should  be 
nailed  horizontally  between  the  ends  as  they  stand 
upright  and  four  inches  below  the  shoulders.  Cut  the 
sides,  b  h,  and  nail  in  position,  next  make  a  V-shaped 
trough  as  long  as  the  feeder  and  invert  between  the 
lower  edges  oi  b  b  to  keep  the  food  from  running  out 
too  much  at  once.  Nail  on  strips,  c  c,  which  should 
be  four  inches  wide,  and  put  on  a  cover  with  hinges. 
A  very  simple  and  successful  feeder  for  dry 
ground  grains,  beef  scrap  or  other  feeds  consists  of  a 

shallow  box  (Figure  48) 
four  inches  inside,  nine  to 
twelve  inches  wide  and  of 
any  length  desired. 
Around  the  top  fasten  a 
FIG.  48-FEED  BOX  ri^  projecting  one  to  one 

and  one-half  inches  inside  which  will  prevent  the  fowls 
from  throwing  out  the  feed  with  their  bills.  Without 
this  projecting  rim  there  will  sometimes  be  much  feed 
scratched  out  and  wasted. 


124  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

A  self  feeder  and  exerciser  is  shown  in  Figure  49. 
It  is  a  box  two  feet  long,  eight  inches  wide  and  ten  to 
twelve  inches  high  with  a  V-shaped  trough  inverted  in 
the  bottom  to  throw  the  grain  at  either  side.  The 
lower  four  inches  of  the 
feeder  on  each  side  is  cov- 
ered with  one-quarter 
inch  mesh  wire  netting 
which  keeps  the  grain  T 
from  running  out  while t^ 
the  fowls  can  take  out 
a  kernel  or  two.  The  il 
feeder  should  be  hung  so     ***  ^* 

that    the    fowls  have    to         fig.  49— self  feeder 
jump  from  six  to  twelve  inches  to  get  at  the  grain. 
This  feeder  has  been  used  very  successfully  by  a  large 
eastern  breeder. 

It  is  generally  considered  that  poultry  like  a 
variety  of  food  and  do  better  when  the  rations  are 
frequently  changed  than  where  one  or  two  things  are 
fed  continuously.  An  Iowa  poultry  keeper,  who  has 
been  very  successful  in  securing  winter  eggs,  varies  the 
ration  from  day  to  day  and  feeds  as  follows :  Monday 
morning,  sheaf  oats;  night,  warm  mash;  Tuesday 
morning,  vegetables;  noon,  cut  green  bone;  night, 
cracked  corn  scattered  in  litter;  Wednesday  morning, 
sheaf  wheat ;  evening,  warm  mash ;  Thursday  morning, 
vegetables;  noon,  whole  wheat  in  litter;  night,  whole 
corn  and  crushed  oats;  Friday  morning,  vegetables: 
noon,  green  cut  bone;  night,  cracked  corn  in  litter; 
Saturday  morning,  sheaf  wheat ;  evening,  warm  mash ; 
Sunday  morning,  vegetables ;  noon,  whole  wheat  in 
litter;  night,  whole  and  cracked  corn  and  wheat  in 
litter.  The  sheaf  wheat  or  oats  fed  In  the  morning 
keep  the  fowls  busy  all  day,  so  that  no  more  feed  is 
required.     The  mash  consists  of  cooked  potatoes  or 


FEEDS    AND   FEEDING  I25 

vegetables,  cut  clover  and  beef  scraps,  all  mixed  in  a 
crumbly  mass  with  some  bran,  shorts,  chop  feed,  a  little 
oil  meal  and  salt,  and  sometimes  a  little  powdered 
charcoal.  Clean,  fresh  water  is  given  them  twice  a  day 
and  oyster  shells  and  grit  are  kept  before  them  at  all 
times.  The  houses  are  dry  and  warm  and  the  fowls 
are  fed  only  as  much  as  they  will  eat  up  clean. 

The  flavor  and  quality  of  the  eggs  are  greatly 
dependent  upon  the  food  given  to  the  fowls.  Healthy 
hens,  fed  on  wholesome  corn  and  allowed  a  free  range, 
supply  eggs  that  have  a  very  consistent  white  and  yolk 
of  a  bright  yellow  color.  These  eggs  are  well  flavored 
and  nutritive.  Hens  badly  fed,  that  have  to  seek  their 
food,  not  in  the  open  country,  but  in  dirty  manure 
heaps  and  similar  places,  where  they  come  across 
decomposing  carcasses,  especially  if  these  latter  be  fish 
refuse,  produce  eggs  with  thin  albumen  or  white,  and, 
when  cooked,  are  very  unpleasant  to  both  smell  and 
taste.  Fowls  having  free  range  during  the  summer 
pick  up  all  the  green  food  and  animal  matter  in  the 
shape  of  bugs  and  worms  which  they  need.  When 
confined  to  small  pens  and  yards,  or  in  the  winter  time 
when  such  things  cannot  be  procured,  they  must  be 
supplied  artificially. 

Animal  food  in  some  form  is  required  in  winter 
as  well  as  in  summer.  Green  cut  bone  forms  a  cheap 
and  good  food  where  the  bones  can  be  procured.  By 
green  bone  we  mean  bones  fresh  from  the  butcher,  with 
the  adhering  gristle,  meat,  etc.  Every  meat  shop  has 
a  great  deal  of  this  waste  material,  which  is  unfit  for 
market,  and  which  finds  its  way  to  some  soap  factory, 
or  is  thrown  to  the  hogs.  Sometimes  there  will  be 
several  large  pieces  of  meat  which  the  butcher  cannot 
sell.  These  pieces  add  a  great  value  to  the  bones. 
Then  on  the  farm  there  are  a  great  number  of  joints 
and  pieces  of  waste  meat  and  bone  which  are  thrown 


126  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

to  the  dogs  and  cats,  which  ought  to  be  put  to  better 
use. 

Green  bone  contains  the  natural  juices  as  well  as 
the  adhering  substances.  This  makes  it  superior  to  the 
bones  that  have  laid  on  the  ground  for  years,  and  lost 
all  the  natural  juices  or  animal  matter.  Green  bone, 
having  the  animal  matter  in  it,  is  quite  soluble  and 
easily  assimilated  by  the  digestive  organs  of  the  fowl 
It  is  an  easy  matter,  since  the  introduction  of  the  bone 
cutter,  to  prepare  green  bone  and  meat  for  the  hens. 
Green  bone  cannot  be  ground,  but  must  be  cut.  A 
good  cutter  can  now  be  purchased  for  $5  and  upward. 
The  value  of  green  bone  lies  in  its  well  proportioned 
and  numerous  constituents,  which  are  just  what  is 
needed  by  the  hen  to  produce  eggs.  In  it  we  have  lime 
for  the  shell,  mineral  matter  for  the  yolk,  and  albumen 
for  the  white.  It  is  as  near  an  all  round  food  as  any 
one  food  can  be.  There  is  only  one  objection  to  it,  and 
that  is  that  it  is  somewhat  concentrated.  If  hens  are 
fed  on  it  entirely,  they  will  eat  too  much;  hence  it  is 
necessary  to  feed  it  in  connection  with  some  bulky 
food,  such  as  clover  or  bran.  A  good  method  of  feed- 
ing it  is  to  give  about  a  handful  to  two  or  three  hens 
three  times  a  week,  but  all  depends  upon  the  conditions 
to  which  the  fowls  are  subjected.  Too  much  meat  or 
green  bone  will  cause  bowel  disease,  and  should  be  fed 
carefully.  It  should  never  be  fed  when  tainted  or 
moldy,  or  it  will  cause  trouble  at  once  in  the  whole 
flock. 

Running  a  bone  cutter  is  hard  work  and  the  cut 
bone  does  not  keep  well.  For  this  reason  many  prefer 
to  use  some  of  the  prepared  animal  meals  or  meat 
scraps  which  contain  but  little  moisture  and  keep  a  long 
time.  It  gives  nearly  as  good  results  and  can  be 
handled  with  much  less  hard  labor.  Fish,  where  they 
can  be  procured  cheaply,  make  a  good  food.     Milk  is 


FEEDS    AND   FEEDING 


127 


a  very  nutritious  food  not  used  as  much  for  poultry  as 
it  should  be.     Fowls  are  very  fond  of  it. 

Skimmilk  is  a  food  which  contains  muscle  and 
flesh  forming  material  in  a  form  to  be  readily  taken  up 
and  digested  by  the  system.  IMilk  that  has  been 
skimmed  has  really  lost  but  a  small  amount  of  its  value 
as  a  food,  the  cream  consisting  of  considerable  fat, 
which  in  itself  is  the  least  nutritious  part  of  the  milk. 
The  cheesy  matter  left  in  the  milk  is  its  most  valuable 
part  for  food,  and  tends  to  produce  a  vigorous,  health- 
ful growth  when  fed  to  calves,  pigs  and  chickens.  If 
more  American  pigs  and  chickens  were  fed  less  corn 
and  more  skimmilk,  it  would  not  only  be  to  their  last- 
ing benefit,  but  it  would  also  eventually  result  in  finan- 
cial benefit  to  the  farmer. 

Green  Food — A  variety  of  vegetables  are  available 
for  this  purpose  in  winter.  Chief  among  them  is  cab- 
bage. Mangels,  beets,  carrots, 
parsnips,  apples,  potatoes, 
celery  trimmings,  etc.,  are 
all  useful.  Well  preserved 
corn  silage  is  greatly  relished 
and  makes  a  fine  food.  Well 
cured  clover  or  alfalfa  hay 
is  splendid  either  whole,  cut 
or  g-round.     Cut  clover   and 

ir   ir  11  1  1   FIG.    so — CLOVER    CUTTER 

alfalfa,  as  well  as  clover  and  ^ 

alfalfa  meal,  are  now  commercial  articles  with  feed 
dealers.  If  fed  whole  the  fowls  will  pick  off  all  the 
heads,  leaves  and  much  of  the  fine  stalks.  Clover  or 
alfalfa  can  be  run  through  a  cutter,  but  where  such  a 
machine  is  not  at  hand,  a  homemade  cutter,  such  as 
shown  in  Figure  50,  can  be  devised.  Take  a  stout 
block  of  wood,  with  smooth  top,  and  build  a  box 
about  it,  using  the  block  for  the  bottom  of  the 
box,  as  shown  in  the  cut.  The  cutter  is  a  pestle-shaped 


128  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

affair,  square  at  the  lower  end.  To  this  are  attached 
three  sharpened  steel  plates,  as  suggested.  Set  them 
into  the  wood  and  bolt  securely.  Any  blacksmith  can 
make  these  plates,  and  they  can  be  sharpened  on  the 
grindstone.  With  this,  one  can  cut  up  clover  as  the 
housewife  chops  meat  in  her  tray,  but  a  few  moments 

being   required    to    cut    suf- 
ficient for  a  large  flocks 

Grit — In  addition  to  food 
and  water  fowls  require  some 
grit  to  help  grind  their  food, 
for  they  have  no  teeth. 
Crushed  stone,  oyster  or  clam 
shells  or  broken  crockery 
FIG.  51 — GRIT  BOXES  will  auswcr  the  purpose. 
Coarsely  ground  dry  bones  are  also  useful.  These 
substances  should  always  be  kept  before  the  fowls  in 
boxes  provided  for  this  purpose.  An  excellent  box  for 
supplying  these  is  shown  in  Figure  51.  It  is  self- 
delivering,  but  the  grating  or  wire  netting  over  the 
front  keeps  the  fowls  from  throwing  the  material  out 
with  their  bills,  and  thus  wasting  it. 

For  preparing  the  grit  a  homemeade  grit  machine 
can  be  built  any  size,  and  any  lumber  will  do.  The 
construction  of  the  machine  can  be  easily  studied  out 
from  Figure  52.  My  crusher  is  made  up  as  follows : 
Two  supports,  a  a,  each  four  feet,  six  inches  long,  of 
four  by  four-inch  lumber  resting  on  board  supports,  r, 
two  feet  long  and  six  inches  high.  Nail  on  the  four 
cross  pieces,  b,  four  feet  long,  size  one  by  four  inches. 
Make  the  two  crushing  arms,  d,  each  five  feet  long 
and  of  four  by  six-inch  lumber.  The  lower  five  inches 
are  beveled  off  so  that  the  two  arms  work  together 
something  like  a  hinge.  Just  above  the  beveled  part, 
attach  an  iron  plate,  hy  four  by  six  inches  and  one- 
quarter  inch  thick,  against  which  the  stone  is  crushed. 


FEEDS    AND   FEEDING 


129 


Make  a  hole,  /,  in  the  lower  end  of  each  crusher  arm 
for  an  iron  pin.  The  smaller  cut  at  the  right  shows 
the  details  of  the  crusher  arm.  There  must  be  space 
enough  at  m  to  let  through  the  fine-crushed  stone. 
The  handle  part  is  made  as  follows :  The  central 
block,  g  g,  is  of  four  by  four-inch  lumber  and  two  feet 
long.  It  is  attached  by  a  bolt  through  the  middle  of 
the  handle,  k,  which  is  five  feet  long  and  strengthened 
by  side  pieces  fastened  to  the  main  block  by  tight  bolts 
at  i,  passing  through  small  blocks  two  by  two  by  two 
inches  at  g.  The  four  connecting  strips,  e,  are  of  one 
by  two-inch  stuff  bolted  at  one  end  loosely  to  g,  but 
at  the  other  end  tightly  to  d.  The  machine  is  now 
complete  except  to  nail  boards,  ;  ;,  on  the  sides  to  keep 
in  the  stones. 


FIG.  52 GRIT  CRUSHER 


130  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

METHODS   OF  SUCCESSFUL  POULTRYMEN 

Growers  say  that  the  way  they  feed  and  take  care 
of  their  hens  leaves  only  two  alternatives;  either  lay, 
or  die,  and  they  choose  the  former.  The  boiler  and 
the  boiler  house  are  essential  preliminaries  of  the 
farmer  poultryman's  outfit.  From  the  infant  chicken 
to  the  mature  hen,  the  food  can  be  cooked  to  advan- 
tage. Chickens  just  hatched  will  not  need  much  food 
for  the  first  day  or  two,  and  for  the  first  week  they 
need  to  receive  delicate  treatment.  A  food  which  has 
been  successful  is  composed  of  cracker  crumbs  and 
hard-boiled  eggs  with  a  little  milk,  while  others  use 
wheat  bread  softened  with  milk. 

For  the  first  month  the  chicks  should  be  fed  at 
east  five  times  a  day ;  early  in  the  morning,  at  9  a.  m., 
at  noon,  at  3  p.  m.  and  just  before  dark,  being  a  con- 
venient arrangement.  After  the  first  week  the  chick- 
ens may  receive  for  their  morning  food  the  same  as 
the  larger  poultry,  although  some  even  then  abstain 
from  giving  them  meat  scraps.  For  the  afternoon 
feed,  give  wheat  or  cracked  corn  which  has  been 
swelled. 

The  food  for  the  matured  hens  consists  of  meal 
and  shorts,  about  twice  as  much  of  the  former  as  of 
the  latter,  and  some  meat  scraps,  from  one  to  two 
quarts  to  100  fowls.  These  three  elements  should  be 
mixed  the  night  before  being  used.  To  this  mixture 
other  ingredients  may  be  added,  such  as  wheat,  cracked 
corn  and  oats.  In  the  winter,  vegetables,  such  as  car- 
rots, turnips,  onions  or  potatoes,  should  be  cooked 
with  this  soft  feed,  several  times  a  week.  Sometimes 
a  small  quantity  of  clover  hay  is  mixed  in. 

Milk  is  a  valuable  food  for  hens,  and  if  the  food 
is  cooked  with  the  sklmmilk,  profitable  results  will  be 
sure  to  follow.     If  more  milk  were  fed  to  poultry 


FEEDS   AND   FEEDING  13! 

instead  of  to  the  hogs,  the  farm  income  would  be 
larger.  Even  sour  milk,  scalded  until  it  becomes  curd, 
is  valuable. 

If  a  small  amount  of  charcoal  be  powdered  and 
cooked  with  the  food  once  a  week,  it  will  keep  the 
fowls  in  a  healthy  condition.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  put  in  too  much  charcoal,  since  it  would  make 
the  food  black  and  probably  would  not  be  touched. 
Occasionally  a  very  little  salt  and  pepper  should  be 
added.  The  afternoon  food  need  not  be  cooked,  and 
may  be  of  corn  or  oats. 

Mr.  Hunter's  Successful  Way — This  account  is  by 
A.  F.  Hunter,  formerly  editor  of  Farm  Poultry  and  of 
The  Practical  Farmer.  His  wonderful  success  in  profit- 
able egg  production  attracted  much  favorable  com- 
ment.    He  writes  as  follows: 

"Five  mornings  of  the  week  we  feed  a  mash  made 
up  of  about  a  third  cooked  vegetables  mashed  fine,  or 
cut  clover  cooked  by  being  brought  to  a  boiling  heat  in 
water,  an  equal  amount  of  boiling  hot  water  added,  a 
heaping  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a  bucketful;  a  heaping 
teaspoonful  of  condition  powder  two  days,  then  pow- 
dered charcoal  one;  and  into  this  is  stirred  mixed 
meal,  until  the  mash  is  as  stiff  as  a  strong  arm  can 
make  it.  This  mixed  meal  with  us  consists  of  one 
part  each  corn  meal,  fine  middlings,  bran,  ground  oats 
and  meat  meal,  a  scoop  or  dipper  of  each  being  dipped 
in  turn  into  a  bag  and  poured  from  the  bag  into  the 
meal  barrel,  from  which  it  is  dipped  into  the  mash. 
We  consider  the  thorough  mixing  of  these  meals  a 
considerable  factor  in  making  a  good  mash. 

"When  we  have  cut  fresh  bone  in  abundance  we 
omit  the  meat  meal  from  the  mixture;  ordinarily  we 
have  only  about  half  rations  of  cut  bone  to  go  around, 
so  use,  regularly,  half  the  amount  of  meat  meal  to 
make  up  the  deficiency. 


132  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

"An  excellent  mixed  meal  consists  of  equal  parts 
corn,  oats,  barley  and  wheat  ground  up  together  and 
kiln  dried  before  bagging  for  shipment.  We  consider 
it  not  quite  sufficiently  nitrogenous,  so  add  from  a 
quarter  (in  winter)  to  a  third  (in  summer)  of  shorts 
to  it.  As  it  is  not  always  easy  to  get  germ  meal  of  our 
grain  dealers  about  here,  we  make  up  the  mixture  as 
above,  and  the  fowls  will  complain  little  of  that  mix- 
ture in  their  mash.  The  foundation  of  the  mash  is  the 
cooked  vegetables,  which  may  be  refuse  potatoes,  beets, 
carrots,  turnips,  onions  (anything  in  the  vegetable 
line),  and  into  the  pot  goes  the  table  waste,  potato 
()arings,  etc.,  and  the  potato,  squash  and  apple  parings 
from  the  kitchen.  The  potatoes,  or  beets,  etc.,  are 
washed  before  putting  on  to  cook,  and  the  mess  when 
boiled  is  sweet  and  savory.  If  one  has  a  set  kettle  in 
which  to  stir  up  the  mash,  and  there  leave  it  to  cook 
in  its  own  heat  and  the  heat  of  the  brick  work,  they 
are  fortunate.  We  haven't,  and  have  to  make  ours  up 
in  common  water  pails. 

"The  vegetable  or  clover  kettle  is  put  on  before 
sitting  down  to  dinner,  usually,  and  another  kettle  of 
water  to  be  boiling  hot  when  wanted.  When  the  vege- 
tables are  cooked,  we  set  out  four  buckets  in  a  row,  dip 
out  ihe  vegetables  into  the  buckets  about  equally,  mash 
them  thoroughly,  add  the  salt — always — and  the  con- 
diment of  the  day,  add  boiling  water  until  the  bucket 
is  two-thirds  full,  then  stir  in  the  mixed  meal  till 
it  is  stiff  and  firm ;  then  cover  and  set  away  to  cook  in 
its  own  heat.  Clover  rowen  (second  crop  clover)  cut 
fine  makes  an  excellent  foundation  for  the  mash  and 
two  or  three  days  of  the  week  in  winter  we  use  that 
instead  of  vegetables.  We  fill  two  kettles  with  the  cut 
clover  and  as  much  cold  water  as  they  will  conveniently 
hold,  and  heat  to  a  boil.  The  clover  is  ladled  out  into 
the  buckets  about  equally,  the  clover  tea  added  and 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  1 33 

boiling  water  as  before,  then  salt  and  the  stimulating 
condiment  and  the  meal  stirred  in. 

'This  mash  contains  a  great  variety  of  food  ele- 
ments, and  this  variety  is  a  quite  important  factor.  A 
fowl  needs  a  variety  of  food  to  supply  her  various 
physical  needs,  and  give  her  a  surplus  out  of  which 
to  make  eggs,  and  this  Variety'  of  foods  we  believe  we 
can  best  attain  in  the  manner  described  above.  An 
additional  advantage  is  that  a  tonic  or  stimulant  can  be 
added  if  desired;  we  sometimes  substitute  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  tincture  of  iron  for  the  condiment,  and  some- 
times add  a  handful  of  linseed  meal  or  cottonseed 
meal;  but  the  latter  are  somewhat  fattening  as  well  as 
stimulating  and  those  who  feed  their  fowls  well  must 
beware  of  too  fattening  foods.  Some  poultrymen 
make  a  practice  of  stirring  up  the  mash  scalding  hot 
in  the  morning  and  feeding  it  at  once.  In  that  case  the 
meals  are  simply  scalded — are  not  cooked.  By  our 
method  the  meals  are  semi-cooked  and  more  immedi- 
ately available  for  assimilation;  hence  we  prefer  mak- 
ing up  the  mash  the  afternoon  of  the  day  before  and 
having  it  semi-cooked  when  fed,  to  having  it  fed  hot 
but  only  scalded. 

"This  morning's  mash  is  fed  in  troughs  large 
enough  so  that  all  of  the  fifteen  fowls  in  a  pen  can  get 
about  it  at  one  time ;  another  important  factor  because 
if  the  trough  is  small  some  of  the  birds  have  to  stand 
back  and  wait  for  second  table  and  when  their  chance 
does  come  there's  nothing  left  for  them.  With  a  trough 
four  feet  long  by  six  inches  wide,  there  is  plenty  of 
room,  and  if  a  biddy  is  driven  away  from  one  place,  she 
runs  around  and  goes  to  eating  at  another,  and  thus  all 
get  a  share. 

"Our  fowls  have  exercise  ground  in  summer,  in 
yards  125  by  twelve  feet,  which  give  them  a  grass  run 
with  growing  grass  always  in  the  growing  season  and 


134  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

they  will  take  ample  exercise  In  pleasant  weather.  To 
keep  them  out  of  doors  the  noon  feed  of  whole  barley 
(or  buckwheat)  and  night  feed  (before  sunset)  of 
wheat  is  scattered  upon  a  graveled  space  immediately 
in  front  of  the  houses.  Each  family  of  fifteen  has  a  pen 
within  the  house  twelve  feet  square,  or  144  square  feet 
of  floor  space,  which  gives  about  ten  square  feet  per 
fowl.  The  floor  is  the  earth  covered  about  six  inches 
deep  with  screened  gravel.  On  this  gravel  inside  the 
house  the  grain  is  scattered  in  stormy  weather,  in 
spring,  summer  and  early  fall,  when  we  want  the  birds 
to  stay  indoors.  When  cold  weather  approaches,  exer- 
cise must  be  stimulated,  and  we  cover  the  pen  floors 
three  or  four  inches  deep  with  meadow  hay  or  straw, 
into  which  the  grain  is  scattered,  and  the  biddies  have 
to  dig  it  out.  Some  poultrymen  use  dry  leaves  for  pen 
litter ;  chaflf  from  a  threshing  mill,  or  buckwheat  hulls, 
would  be  most  excellent,  nothing  could  be  better ;  and 
we  have  found  one  or  two  cases  where  common  corn- 
stalks were  used.  With  us,  straw  or  meadow  hay  is 
most  easily  obtained,  and  we  use  that.  What  the 
scratching  material  is,  is  of  far  less  importance  than 
that  the  scratching  material  is  there. 

"Whole  wheat  is  the  best  grain  food  for  fowls, 
whole  barley  is  the  next  best,  and  buckwheat  next.  We 
make  barley  or  buckwheat  the  noon  feed  five  days  in 
the  week,  and  wheat  the  night  feed  five  or  six  days  in 
the  week.  We  do  not  make  the  mash  on  Sunday,  be- 
cause we  want  to  reduce  the  work  to  its  lowest  terms 
\)n  that  day,  doing  no  more  than  the  regular  feeding 
ind  watering  and  collecting  the  eggs. 

"Monday  we  feed  oats  (or  barley),  wheat,  whole 
corn;  Tuesday,  mash,  barley  (or  buckwheat),  wheat; 
Wednesday,  mash,  cut  bone,  wheat;  Thursday,  oats, 
barley,  wheat  (or  corn)  ;  Friday,  mash,  barley,  wheat; 
Saturday,  mash,  cut  bone^  wheat ;  Sunday,  mash,  bar- 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I35 

ley  (or  buckwheat),  wheat.  Two  feeds  of  cut  bone 
each  week,  one  or  two  of  whole  oats,  and  one  or  two 
of  whole  corn  (according  to  season),  give  variety  to 
our  ration,  and  to  that  are  added  whole  cabbages  hung 
in  the  pens  in  cold  weather  to  tempt  picking  them  to 
get  green  food;  or  turnips,  beets  or  carrots  are  split 
in  halves  and  placed  in  the  pens  to  be  picked  in  pieces 
and  eaten.  Grit  and  ground  oyster  shells  are  always 
accessible,  and  fresh  water,  replenished  three  times  a 
day  (warm  in  winter),  and  the  water  pans  are  care- 
fully rinsed  every  day. 

"We  vary  from  this  program  in  winter  by  feeding 
a  slightly  lighter  feed  of  mash  in  the  morning,  making 
it  a  breakfast  rather  than  a  full  meal,  and  then  scatter 
barley  or  buckwheat  in  the  scratching  material  about 
midforenoon,  to  induce  even  more  scratching  exercise. 
To  search  and  scratch  for  seeds,  grains,  insects,  etc.,  is 
the  fowl's  normal  method  of  feeding,  and  the  nearer 
we  approximate  to  Nature's  way,  the  better;  hence 
the  greatest  possible  amount  of  exercise  should  be 
compelled." 

Prof.  GozveWs  Methods — The  methods  practiced 
by  Prof.  G.  M.  Gowell  of  the  Maine  experiment  station 
in  feeding  poultry  should  command  attention,  for  no 
experimenter  has  done  more  or  better  work  in  the 
breeding  and  handling  of  fowls  for  eggs.  For 
over  twenty-five  years  Prof.  Gowell  has  been 
at  work  with  the  same  family  of  barred  Ply- 
mouth Rocks  and  has  learned  several  ways  to 
feed  and  handle  them  to  secure  eggs  and  to 
avoid  the  losses  which  are  so  common  to  mature 
hens  of  that  breed  from  overfatness.  Several  years 
ago  he  gave  up  the  morning  mash  and  fed  it  late  in  the 
afternoon  with  far  better  results.  The  full  meal  in  the 
morning  produces  laziness,  fatness  and  soft  shelled 
eggs,  but  these  bad  conditions  and  results  were  not 


136  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

encountered  when  the  birds  were  required  to  eat 
slowly  and  exercise  by  digging  the  hard  grains  out  of 
the  straw  bedding. 

The  birds  were  fed  throughout  the  year  daily  as 
follows :  Each  pen  of  twenty-two  received  one  pint  of 
wheat  in  the  deep  litter  early  in  the  morning.  At  9.30 
a.  m.,  one-half  pint  of  cracked  corn  was  given  in  the 
litter  as  before.  At  3  p.  m.  in  winter  and  4  p.  m.  in 
summer  they  were  given  all  the  mash  they  would  eat 
up  clean  in  half  an  hour.  The  mash  was  made  of  the 
following  mixture  of  meals:  200  pounds  wheat  bran, 
100  pounds  corn  meal,  icx)  pounds  wheat  middlings, 
100  pounds  linseed  meal,  100  pounds  gluten  meal,  100 
pounds  beef  scrap.  The  mash  contained  one-fourth  of 
its  bulk  of  clover  leaves  and  heads  obtained  from  the 
feeding  floor  in  the  cattle  barn.  The  clover  was  cov- 
ered with  hot  water  and  allowed  to  stand  for  three  or 
four  hours.  The  mash  was  made  quite  dry,  and  rubbed 
down  with  the  shovel  in  mixing,  so  that  the  pieces  of 
clover  were  separated  and  covered  with  the  meal. 
Cracked  bone,  oyster  shell,  clean  grit,  and  water  were 
before  them  all  of  the  time.  Two  large  mangolds  were 
fed  to  the  birds  in  each  pen  daily  in  winter.  They 
were  stuck  onto  large  nails  which  were  partly  driven 
into  the  wall  a  foot  and  a  half  above  the  floor.  Very 
few  soft  shelled  eggs  were  laid  and  so  far  as  known, 
not  an  egg  has  been  eaten  by  the  hens  during  the  last 
five  years. 

The  records  of  several  years*  feeding  show  that 
from  fifty  to  fifty-five  pounds  of  dry  meals,  not  includ- 
ing the  clover  leaves  of  which  the  mash  was  made  up, 
were  eaten  by  each  hen  per  year.  The  quantity  of  grain 
fed  in  the  litter  was  the  same  every  day,  winter  or  sum- 
mer. The  quantity  of  mash  was  variable,  being  all 
they  would  eat  in  an  hour  at  the  close  of  the  day. 
They  ate  more  in  cold  than  in  warm  weather;  also  con- 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING 


137 


siderably  more  when  they  were  laying  heavily  than 
when  they  were  yielding  few  eggs. 

The  feeding  above  described  was  with  hens  in  a 
house  kept  warm  enough  by  hot  water  pipes,  so  that 
the  temperature  was  above  the  freezing  point  at  all 
times.  The  amount  of  food  required  by  the  birds  kept 
in  this  house  for  several  years  was  always  less  during 
the  winter  season,  than  where  birds  were  kept  in  the 
colder  houses. 

In  addition  to  the  fifty  to  fifty-five  pounds  of 
mash,  the  hens  in  this  house  have  averaged  each  year 
18.2  pounds  wheat,  6.4  pounds  cracked  corn,  5.8  pounds 
of  oats,  5.9  pounds  oyster  shell,  ;^.2  pounds  dry  poultry 
bone,  2.9  pounds  mica  grit;  and  forty  pounds  man- 
golds. The  straw  for  litter  has  averaged  thirty-six 
pounds  per  bird.  The  birds,  fed  and  housed  as  above 
described,  have  averaged  laying  about  150  eggs  each. 
Another  method  which  has  been  coming  into 
prominence  of  late  is  the  feeding  of  the  ground  grains 
dry  instead  of  a  moist  mash.  Fowl  do  not  at  first 
take  readily  to  the  dry  mixture,  but  when  accustomed 
to  it  they  will  eat  considerable  quantities.  The  best 
practice  is  to  keep  it  in  self  feeders  and  allow  the  fowls 
access  to  it  at  all  times.  There  is  no  danger  of  their 
over  eating. 

Experience  in  Feeding  for  Eggs — The  great  tgg 
yield  obtained  by  C.  H.  Wykoff,  a  New  York  state 
breeder  of  White  Leghorns,  provoked  extended  com- 
ment. Following  is  a  summary  of  his  feeding 
methods :  All  the  fowls  are  fed  three  times  daily.  In 
the  morning  they  are  given  a  ration  composed  half  and 
half  by  weight  of  wheat  bran  and  a  mixture  made  of 
equal  quantities  by  measure  of  oat  and  corn  meal.  This 
is  scalded.  At  noon  a  little  grain,  a  mixture  of  oats, 
buckwheat  and  wheat  in  equal  parts,  is  scattered  on 
the  floors  lightly  to  induce  the  fowls  to  scratch  for 


138  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

exercise.  At  night  they  are  given  all  they  will  eat  of 
the  grain  ration.  Sour  skimmed  milk  forms  a  daily 
diet  and  would  easily  take  the  place  of  meat  if  it  could 
be  obtained  in  sufficient  quantities.  As  it  is,  every  other 
day  each  group  of  sixty  fowls  receives  about  one  and 
one-half  pounds  of  pressed  meat.  Ground  oyster 
shells  are  continually  accessible.  About  four  and  one- 
half  quarts  of  green  food  is  given  daily  to  each  lot, 
consisting  of  cabbage,  turnips  and  beets  in  winter, 
grass  in  spring  and  sea  kale  in  summer.  Salt  is  the 
only  condiment  fed,  stimulating  commercial  feeds  hav- 
ing long  ago  been  abandoned  as  dangerous.  Clean 
clover  hay,  chopped  fine  and  mixed  with  corn  meal  and 
steamed,  is  frequently  fed,  but  only  in  small  quantities, 
as  it  is  found  to  be  too  bulky  for  the  crop. 

W.  H.  Riidd's  Ration — "Aly  morning  feed  con- 
sists of  corn  meal  and  fine  feed  in  equal  parts,  ground 
beef  and  scraps,  and  in  the  w^inter  boiled  potatoes. 
This  is  all  mixed  together  with  hot  water,  adding  a 
little  salt  and  tgg  food.  This  is  fed  as  soon  as  the 
fowls  can  see  to  eat,  except  in  the  longest  days  in  sum- 
mer. This  feed  is  put  in  troughs  eight  feet  long,  eight 
inches  wide  and  three  inches  high.  The  ends  are  put 
in  so  the  bottom  of  the  trough  will  be  three  inches 
above  the  ground.  This  same  trough  is  used  for  the 
dry  grain  on  stormy  days,  and  in  all  winter  weather. 
At  other  times  the  grain  is  fed  in  the  yards.  For  dry 
grain  feed,  I  use  equal  parts  of  whole  corn,  oats  and 
wheat.  This  grain  is  mixed  together  in  a  basket  that 
holds  three  pecks,  and  I  always  use  a  two-quart  flour 
scoop  to  deal  out  both  wet  and  dry  feed.  This  mix- 
ture is  fed  twice  a  day,  morning  and  night.  I  never 
feed  in  the  middle  of  the  day  or  disturb  the  hens  in 
the  least.  I  want  them  to  spend  all  the  time  they  want 
m  laying  eggs.     I  used  to  feed  at  noon,  but  found  if 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I39 

all  the  hens  were  called  off  the  nest  to  eat  dinner  the 
same  number  would  not  go  back  again  that  day. 

'Tour  to  six  quarts  of  feed  per  day  for  twenty-six 
hens  would  be  about  right.  If  large  Brahmas,  they 
require  more ;  if  Leghorns,  less.  The  proper  way  is  to 
give  them  what  they  will  eat  up  rapidly.  Wheat  screen- 
ings contain  a  large  quantity  of  foul  seed;  some 
of  them  the  hens  will  not  eat  and  of  course  they  will 
take  root  and  grow.  We  have  known  hens  to  die  from 
eating  the  seed  in  screenings.  It  is  better  to  feed  good 
wheat.  A  good  winter  feed  for  laying  hens  is  equal 
parts  corn  meal  and  fine  feed;  add  to  this  one-twen- 
tieth as  much  ground  beef  scraps  and  some  boiled 
potatoes,  mix  with  hot  water  and  feed  every  morninf 
Give  whole  corn,  oats  and  wheat  in  equal  quantities  at 
noon  and  night,  giving  a  light  feed  at  noon  and  all  they 
will  eat  at  night." 

Farming  for  Eggs — This  account  of  the  methods 
employed  by  the  poultry  specialists  of  southeastern 
Rhode  Island  is  given  by  D.  Myron  Greene  who  has 
spent  several  years  in  that  section. 

The  houses  need  not  be  costly,  but  they  must  be 
dry,  warm  and  well  ventilated.  A  convenient  size  is 
from  eight  by  ten  to  ten  by  twelve  feet.  These  houses 
may  be  placed  in  a  large  field  about  fifty  yards  apart 
and  not  over  thirty-five  hens  should  be  in  a  house.  The 
houses  should  always  be  kept  clean,  and  lice  never 
allowed  to  become  numerous.  Care  should  be  taken 
that  the  soil  is  not  too  wet.  Houses  should  be  fre- 
quently moved  and  the  land  plowed  and  seeded  every 
other  year.  This  is  not  only  a  benefit  to  the  soil,  but 
to  the  poultry.  Sometimes  incubators  are  used  for 
hatching  here,  but  of  25,000  chickens  hatched  annually 
perhaps  1000  are  hatched  by  incubators,  the  rest  in  the 
old-fashioned  way. 


140  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

FATTENING  POULTRY  FOR   MARKET 

The  fattening  or  finishing  of  poultry  by  any  special 
process  and  feeding  with  this  definite  object  in  view, 
is  practically  a  new  and  almost  unknown  industry  in 
the  United  States.  The  common  plan  has  been  to  let 
the  fowls  run  at  large  and  feed  them  all  the  corn  they 
would  eat  for  a  month  or  six  weeks  before  marketing. 
It  is  difficult  to  understand  why  the  farmer,  who  has 
every  facility  for  properly  finishing  his  fowls,  should 
waste  this  opportunity.  He  is  very  careful  to  see  that 
every  steer,  hog  or  sheep  that  he  sends  to  the  shambles 
is  carrying  all  the  weight  possible.  He  usually  counts 
that  the  poultry  costs  him  nothing  to  produce  it,  and 
all  that  he  gets  for  it  is  clear  profit.  If  properly 
handled,  a  pound  of  grain  can  be  converted  into  more 
poultry  meat  of  greater  value  and  in  less  time  than 
through  the  four-footed  channels. 

The  farmer  sticks  to  corn,  which  perhaps  above  all 
other  cereals  produces  the  most  unsatisfactor}'  quality 
of  meat.  As  it  produces  weight  and  is  the  cheapest 
and  most  available  grain,  he  supplies  it,  and  where  the 
supply  is  unstinted  the  weight  is  gained.  Corn  has  a 
special  tendency  to  deposit  a  soft,  oily  fat  in  layers 
under  the  skin,  and  in  masses  in  the  abdominal  cavity, 
instead  of  depositing  this  fat  in  globules  throughout 
the  tissue  where  it  belongs.  If  oats,  barley  or  a  suita- 
ble mixture  of  these  and  other  grains  ground  had  been 
used  as  a  base,  these  globules  would  not  waste,  but 
would  soften  in  cooking,  therebv  rendering  the  tissues 
soft  and  juicy. 

If  the  fowls  are  confined  in  small  pens  and  Kept 
quiet  they  will  fatten  much  quicker  than  if  allowed 
their  liberty.  Give  all  they  will  eat  three  times  a  day 
and  provide  plenty  of  pure  water  to  drink.  In  a  half 
hour  remove  the  drinking  and  feed  vessels.     Separate 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I4I 

the  cockerels  early  from  the  pullets  and  give  them  the 
range  of  a  yard  and  clean,  airy  quarters.  Ground  bar- 
ley or  oats,  with  one-third  corn  meal  mixed  up  with 
skimmilk  makes  a  splendid  growing  and  fattening 
food.  Two  weeks  before  killing  pen  them  up  and  feed 
with  corn  and  corn  meal.  Give  pure  fresh  water  and 
keep  before  them  a  box  of  sharp  grit. 

Crate  fattening  and  cramming  are  practiced  some 
by  experts  and  by  those  who  wish  to  produce  fowls  of 
high  table  quality.  Although  the  cramming  machine 
in  the  hands  of  an  expert  will  probably  give  the  best 
results  in  finished  product,  small  coops  for  fattening 
chickens  will  be  found  the  most  profitable  by  most 
chicken  raisers.  These  coops  are  used  very  largely  in 
England  and  have  been  adopted  successfully  by  the 
Canadian  government.  They  are  built  of  lath  and 
one-inch-square  pieces  for  the  framework.  Each  part 
is  two  feet  long,  sixteen  inche's  wide  and  twenty 
inches  high,  which  experiments  have  shown  to  be  the 
best  size. 

The  coops  are  placed  out  of  doors  in  the  shade, 
either  under  trees  or  in  an  open  shed,  but  in  severe 
weather  should  be  placed  in  a  closed  building.  A  small 
V-shaped  trough  is  used  to  hold  the  feed,  and  water  is 
supplied  in  a  cup,  which  may  be  fastened  to  the  slats. 
Young  chickens  from  four  to  six  months  of  age  are 
commonly  used  for  fattening.  About  four  are  placed 
in  a  coop,  where  they  are  fed  three  times  daily,  as 
much  as  they  will  eat  of  ground  grain,  chiefly  oats.  At 
or  near  the  end  of  this  period  of  fattening,  which  lasts 
from  four  to  six  weeks,  a  little  tallow  is  added  to  the 
feed,  which  at  all  times  is  mixed  with  skimmilk.  The 
Ontario  agricultural  college  in  a  test  with  different 
rations  for  fattening  poultry,  found  that  a  mixture  of 
two  parts  corn  meal,  two  parts  ground  buckwheat  and 


142  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

one  part  pearl  oat  dust,  with  an  equal  weight  of  skim- 
milk,  gave  a  pound  of  grain  for  less  than  three  and 
one-half  cents.  Four  parts  corn  meal,  two  parts  each 
ground  buckwheat  and  pearl  oat  dust,  with  an  equal 
weight  of  milk,  made  the  cost  a  trifle  over  four  and 
one-half  cents  per  pound.  Oat  dust  with  milk  made 
the  gain  cost  nearly  five  cents  per  pound.  A  very  good 
fattening  ration  consists  of  lOO  pounds  of  corn  meal, 
lOO  pounds  of  wheat  middlings  and  forty  pounds  of 
animal  meal. 

Convenient  Table — It  is  not  always  convenient  to 
weigh  the  parts  of  ground  grain  which  we  intend  to 
mix  for  the  mash.  ^lost  of  us  find  it  easier  to  measure 
it  out  in  scoopfuls.  The  following  table  will  be  found 
useful  for  those  who  desire  to  have  their  mash  made 
up  of  equal  parts  each  of  ground  food : 

One  pound  of  corn  meal  will  measure  about  one 
and  one-half  pints. 

One  pound  middlings  will  measure  about  one 
quart. 

One  pound  ground  oats  will  measure  about  two 
and  one-half  pints. 

One  pound  wheat  bran  will  measure  about  three 
pints. 

One  pound  clover  meal  will  measure  about  two 
quarts. 

VALUES  AND  RESULTS  IN  FEEDING 

The  food  buyer  who  knows  the  make-up  of  all 
kinds  of  feeding  stuff  can  save  many  dollars  by  taking 
advantage  of  every  chance  the  market  affords.  The 
price  of  a  food  is  often  no  guide  to  its  value.  Poor 
crops  often  make  certain  grains  advance  in  price  out  of 
all  proportion  to  other  grains  and  mill  products.  On 
the  other  hand  a  food  which  is  very  plenty  for  the 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I43 

time,  or  a  refuse  food  too  little  known  to  meet  with 
ready  sale,  may  be  bought  at  a  great  bargain.  By  com- 
paring the  per  cents  in  the  table  the  feeder  will  get  a 
very  fair  idea  of  relative  food  values.  The  per  cents 
of  protein,  carbohydrates  and  fats  are  of  course  of 
main  importance.  The  potential  energy  or  fuel  value 
is  also  a  good  general  indicator  of  the  nutriment  pres- 
ent. Refuse  or  second  class  products  suitable  for  poul- 
try can  be  bought  very  cheap  in  large  cities,  and  the 
poultryman  who  knows  the  values  of  these  substances 
can  keep  his  feed  bill  at  a  reasonable  level  even  when 
standard  grain  feeds  are  scarce  and  high.  Thus  in 
1902  corn  and  corn  meal  were  unusually  costly,  while 
No.  2  wheat  screenings,  gluten  feed,  bran,  meat  scraps, 
waste  popcorn,  waste  bread,  etc.,  could  be  bought  at 
prices  which  the  tables  on  Pages  146-7-8  and  expe- 
rience also  showed  to  be  much  more  economical. 

In  some  sections  also,  some  of  the  less  common 
grains  and  seeds  can  be  had  at  a  bargain,  such  as 
chicken  corn,  sorghum,  millet,  rice,  broom  corn,  etc. 
The  table  shows  that  many  of  these  may  be  used  in 
place  of  the  standard  grains,  being  of  practically  equal 
feeding  value.  The  prices  of  the  special  or  waste  feeds 
do  not  change  to  such  an  extent  as  in  the  case  of 
regular  commercial  feeds,  and  shrewd  feeders  use  a 
greater  or  less  quantity  according  to  the  fluctuations 
of  the  general  markets. 

COMPOSITION   OF   FEEDING   STUFFS 

Water — All  feeding  stuffs  contain  water.  The 
amount  of  water  in  100  pounds  of  such  dry  material 
as  hay,  straw  or  grain  is  from  eight  to  twenty  pounds ; 
in  green  fodder,  sixty  to  eighty-five  pounds,  and  as 
high  as  ninety  pounds  in  some  roots. 


144  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

Dry  matter  is  that  portion  of  the  fodder  or  feeding 
stuff  which  is  not  water.  Hence  the  feeding  value 
depends  mainly  upon  the  dry  matter  contained  in  the 
stuff.    This  varies  widely. 

Ash  is  what  is  left  when  the  dry  matter  in  a 
feeding  stuff  is  burned  away.  It  consists  chiefly  of 
lime,  potash,  magnesia,  iron,  chlorine  and  carbonic 
acid,  sulphuric  acid  and  phosphoric  acid,  and  is  largely 
used  in  making  bone. 

Protein,  or  nitrogenous  substances,  is  the  name  of 
a  group  of  substances  containing  about  six  per  cent  of 
nitrogen.  The  foods  rich  in  protein  are  spoken  of  as 
nitrogenous  foods.  They  are  also  sometimes  called 
albuminoids,  because  containing  albumen,  or  the  same 
substance  found  in  the  white  of  hens'  eggs.  Protein 
furnishes  the  materials  for  the  lean  flesh,  blood,  skin, 
muscles,  tendons,  nerves,  hair,  horns,  wool,  and  the 
casein  and  albumen  of  milk,  etc.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
important  constituents  of  feeding  stuffs. 

Fiber  or  woody  matter,  also  called  cellulose,  is  the 
framework  of  plants,  forming  the  walls  of  their  cells. 
It  is  the  most  indigestible  constituent  of  feeding  stuffs, 
and  their  nutritive  value  decreases  as  the  proportion 
of  fiber  increases. 

Nitrogen-free  extract  includes  starch  and  sugar 
mainly,  also  gums,  organic  acids,  etc.,  and  forms  an 
important  part  of  all  feeding  stuffs,  but  especially  of 
most  grains.  The  nitrogen-free  extract  and  fiber  are 
usually  classed  together  under  the  name  of  carbo- 
hydrates, both  being  composed  of  carbon,  oxygen  and 
hydrogen.  The  carbohydrates  form  the  largest  part  of 
all  vegetable  foods.  They  are  either  stored  up  as  fat 
or  used  in  the  animal  system  to  produce  heat  and 
energy.  Therefore,  carbohydrates  are  spoken  of  as 
heat-producing  substances,    as   against   flesh-forming 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I45 

substances,  which  are  nitrogenous  compounds  or  pro- 
tein. 

Fat  or  oil,  the  materials  dissolved  from  a  feeding 
stuff  by  ether,  is  an  impure  product  and  includes 
besides  real  fats,  wax,  the  green  coloring  matter  of 
plants,  etc.  The  fat  of  food  is  either  stored  up  in  the 
body  as  fat  or  used  to  furnish  heat  or  energy.  One 
pound  of  fat  will  produce  as  much  heat  as  two  and 
one-quarter  pounds  of  carbohydrates. 

Organic  matter  includes  all  that  portion  of  a  feed- 
ing stuff  that  may  be  burned  off,  and  hence  includes 
everything  except  the  water  and  ash.  The  fuel  value 
is  expressed  in  a  term  or  unit  named  the  "calorie." 
The  calorie  is  the  amount  of  heat  required  to  raise  the 
temperature  of  one  kilogram  of  water  one  degree 
centigrade  (one  pound  water,  .818  degree  Fahrenheit). 
From  practical  experiment  it  has  been  found  that  a 
pound  of  protein  or  of  carbohydrates  yields,  when 
burned,  about  i860  calories  of  potential  energy,  and 
that  a  pound  of  fat  yields  4220  calories,  or  over  twice 
as  much.  The  total  number  of  calories  in  the  digestible 
matter  in  100  pounds  of  feed  is  a  measure  of  its  heat- 
ing effect,  or  fuel  value,  or  potential  energy.  High 
potential  energy  shows,  a  concentrated  food. 

Nutritive  ratio  is  the  relation  between  the  protein 
in  a  food  and  the  fat  and  carbohydrates.  To  ascertain 
it,  multiply  the  fat  by  two  and  one-quarter  to  equal  the 
carbohydrates,  add  the  latter  and  divide  the  total  by 
the  amount  of  protein.  Foods  with  a  large  proportion 
of  carbohydrates  are  wide  in  ratio.  A  common  exam- 
ple is  corn.  Foods  with  the  proportion  of  carbohy- 
drates smaller  in  proportion  to  the  protein  are  narrow 
ratio,  as  in  the  case  of  bran  or  meat  scrap.  Food  with 
narrow  ratio  are  generally  highly  concentrated  and 
tend  to  produce  eggs  and  rapid  growth.  Foods  or 
mixtures  of  wide  ratio  are  more  heating  and  fattening- 


146 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


Not  all  the  protein  and  carbohydrates  in  the 
feeding  stuffs  are  digestible.  A  certain  per  cent  is 
wasted  and  voided  in  the  process  of  digestion.  For 
fowls  the  per  cent  of  waste  is  not  known,  nearly  all 
digestion  tests  having  been  made  with  cattle,  sheep 
and  horses.  It  seems  very  probable  that  the  powerful 
apparatus  of  crop  and  gizzard  enables  the  fowl  to  ex- 
tract more  of  the  food  value  than  in  the  case  of  ani- 
mals. 

In  computing  a  ration  for  laying  fowls  or  for 
growing  chicks  the  most  satisfactory  and  economical 
ratio  will  be  about  one  to  six;  that  is,  the  substances 
fed  should  average  about  that  ratio,  while  the  potential 
energy  should  be  about  100.  For  fattening  a  better 
ratio  is  one  to  eight,  with  a  potential  energy  of  108. 

COMPOSITION  OF  FEEDING  STUFFS 


FOODS  i 

I  ' 

P  ft 

Grain  and  Mill  Feeds.  %        % 

I'^ield    corn    10.9  89.1 

Sweet    corn     8.8  91.2 

Pop    corn    10.7  89.3 

Small  and  immature 

ears  of  field  corn.  35.7  64.3 

Cracked    corn     12.3  87.7 

Corn   meal    15.0  85.0 

Corn  and  cob  meal.  15.1  84.9 

Corn    germ 10.7  89.3 

Hominy     chops 11.1  88  9 

Gluten    meal     9.6  90.4 

Starch    feed    (wet).  65. 4  34.6 

Wheat    10.5  89.5 

Wheat    screenings.  .11.6  88.4 

Low  grade  flour.... 12. 4  87.6 

Wheat  bran    11.9  88.1 

Wheat     middlings.  .12.1  87.9 

Dry    bread    31.2  68.8 

Oats 11.0  89.0 

Oat    meal    7.9  92.1 

Oat    bran    7.7  92.3 

Oat     feed 8.2  91.8 

Oat   middlings 9.2  90.8 


lit 


I 


5« 


% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

1.9 

1.5 

10.4 

70.3 

5.0 

7.9 

106 

2.8 

1.9 

11.6 

66.8 

8.1 

7.5 

111 

1.8 

1.5 

11.2 

69.2 

5.2 

7.3 

107 

1.0 

0.9 

7.3 

50.7 

3.5 

g.l 

68 

— 

1.3 

8.6 

73.9 

3.9 

9.5 

103 

1.9 

1.4 

9.2 

68.7 

3.8 

8.5 

100 

6.6 

1.5 

8.5 

64.8 

3.5 

8.6 

94 

4.1 

4.0 

9.8 

64.0 

7.4 

8.4 

105 

3.8 

2.5 

9.3 

64.5 

8.3 

8.7 

108 

1.6 

0.7 

29.4 

52.4 

6.3 

2.3 

111 

3.1 

3.0 

6.1 

22.0 

3.1 

4.8 

30 

1.8 

1.8 

11.9 

71.9 

2.1 

6.3 

102 

4.9 

2.9 

12.5 

65.1 

3.0 

5.8 

97 

0.9 

0.7 

10.0 

75.0 

1.0 

7.7 

101 

0.9 

5.8 

15.4 

53.9 

4.0 

4.1 

90 

4.6 

3.3 

15.6 

60.4 

4.0 

4.7 

98 

— 

— 

6.9 

44.2 

0.5 

6.6 

61 

9.5 

3.0 

11.8 

59. 

5.0 

6.1 

96 

0.9 

2.0 

14.7 

67.4 

7.1 

5.8 

113 

19.3 

3.7 

7.1 

57.9 

2.3 

8.9 

81 

12.5 

4.2 

12.6 

56.3 

6.2 

5.7 

96 

3.8 

3.2 

20.0 

56.2 

7.6 

3.7 

108 

FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  I47 


FOODS. 


S  c  -9 


I  2         ^ 


>       Q  fc4  <}  PL,  o  ph  ;?;        (5 

Orain  and  Mill  Feeds—            %        %  %  %  %  %  % 
Continued 

Barley     10.9   89.1  2.7  2.4  12.4  69.8  1.8  6.0   100 

Barley    screenings.  ..  12.4   87.6  7.6  3.6  12.2  61.6  2.6  5.5      92 

Barley  meal    11.9   88.1  6.5  2.6  10.5  66.3  2.2  6.8      93 

Malt    sprouts 10.2   89.8  10.7  5.7  23.2  48.5  1.7  2.8      87 

Brewers'  grain    (wet)75.7    24.3  3.8  1.0  5.4  12.5  1.6  3.0      24 

Brewers' grain     (dry)    8.2   91.8  11.0  3.6  19.9  51.7  5.6  3.3      97 

Distillers'     waste 5.0   95.0  8.0  11.3  27.4  36.1  12.2  2.4   105 

Buckwheat    12.6   87.4  8.7  2.0  10.0  64.5  2.2  7.0      83 

Buckwheat    groats.  ..  10.6   89.4  0.3  0.6  4.8  83.1  0.6  17.0   103 

Buckwheat     bran 14.0   86.0  14.7  3.4  17.1  46,4  4.4  3.3     85 

Buckwheat     mid- 
dlings      13.2   86.8  4.1  4.8  28.9  41.9  7.1  2.1   IQl 

Rye     11.6   88.4  1.7  1.9  10.6  72.5  1.7  7.2   100 

Rye     bran 11.6   88.4  3.5  3.6  14.7  63.8  2.8  4.8     98 

Ground  corn  and  oats 

equal     parts 11.9   88.1  —  2.2  9.6  71.9  4.4  8.6   106 

Corn    and    bran    feed, 
8      parts      corn,      5 

parts    bran    ..y.,.  ..11.5   88.5  —  2.7  10.6  71.2  4.0  7.6   105 

Corn,   rye   and   oats.. 1(7.4   89.6  —  1.9  10.6  73.7  3.4  7.4   106 
"Provender,"   450   lbs. 
corn,   125   lbs.   oats, 

100    lbs.    bran 9.4   90.6  10.4  3.1  13.0  58.8  5.3  5.5     97 

Mscellaneous 

Sorghum     seed 12.8   87.2  2.6  2.1  9.1  70.0  3.6  8.6   102 

Sorghum    seed    meal.  13.2   86.8  1.8  l.«  8.3  71.3  3.8  9.7  102 

Broom  corn   seed 14.1  85.9  7.1  2.0  9.6  64.7  3.5  7.6     95 

Broom       corn       seed 

meal 13.5  86.5  6.9  2.1  9.7  64.2  3.6  7.3     95 

Sorghum,    chicken 

corn     14.8   85.2  8.7  4.3  10.6  58.9  2.7  6.2      87 

Chinese  corn    7.9  92.1  1.8  1.5  9.6  75.5  3.7  8.8   108 

Brown     dhoura 7.6  92.4  1.5  1.7  9.0  76.0  4.2  9.6  110 

Millet     13.5   86.4  9.5  3.0  12.7  58.0  3.3  5.2     83 

Hemp  seed   8.0   92.0  14.0  2.0  10.0  45.0  21.0  9.7  119 

Rape  seed   13.8   86.2  10.0  3.9  19.4  10.4  42.5  6.3   147 

Flaxseed    11.8  88.2  7.9  3.4  21.7  19.6  35.6  5.0  141 

Ground  linseed    8.1   91.9  7.3  4.7  21.6  27.9  30.4  4.8  137 

Linseed      meal,      o  1  d 

process     9.2   91.8  8.9  5.7  32.9  35.4  7.9  1.7      99 

Liinseed      meal,      new 

Process     10.189.9  9.5  5.8  33.2  38.4  3.0  1.4      91 

Cottonseed     meal 8.2   91.8  5.6  7.2  42.3  23.6  13.1  1.3   111 

Cottonseed     hulls 10.4   89.6  44.4  2.6  4.0  36.6  2.0  10.1      52 

Sunflower    seed 8.0   92.0  28.5  3.0  13.0  23.9  23.6  6.3   105 

Rice     12.4   87.6  0.2  0.4  7.4  79.2  0.4  10.9   101 

Rice  bran   9.7   90.3  9.5  10.0  12.1  49.9  8.8  5.9     95 

Rice  hulls 8.2   91.8  35.7  13.2  3.6  38.6  0.7  11.2      48 

Rice    (flour)    polish.  .10.0   90.0  6.3  6.7  11.7  58.0  7.3  6.5      80 

Cockle  bran    11.1   88.9  9.2  3.2  10.6  63.5  2.5  6.5     82 

Cocoa  dust   7.1  ?2.9  5.4  6.3  14.4  42.8  24.0  7.0  12» 


148 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


FOODS. 


^ 


«        3 


% 

15.3 

9.7 

,    8.4 

13.2 


Dry  Hay. 

Red  clover   .... 
White  clover   . . 

Alfalfa     

Timothy     

Grass  and  Tops. 
Green       grass,       clip- 
pings      76.4 

Cabbage     90.6 

Dandelion   tops 14.5 

Beet  tops 90.0 

Onion  tops    91.0 

Lettuce     95.9 

Spinach    92.4 


% 

84.7 
90.3 
91.6 
86.8 


23.6 
9.5 
88.5 
10.0 
9.0 
4.1 
7. .6 


Vegetables— Seeds, 

Peas    13.4  86.8 

Cowpeas    14.8  85.2 

Pea   meal    10.5  89.5 

White  field  beans 15.0  85.0 

Mavy   beans    12.4  87.6 

Soja    beans 10.8  89.2 

Vegetables^  Fruits^  Roots. 

Tomatoes     91.3  8.7 

Apples    84.1  15.9 

Cucumbers    9  6.0  4.0 

Pumpkin,   flesh    93.5  6.5 

Pumpkin,  seeds,  etc.. 76. 9  23.1 

White  potatoes 78.9  21.1 

Sweet  potatoes    71.1  28.9 

Red    beets     88.5  11.5 

Sugar   beets    86.5  13.5 

Mangel    wurzels 90.9  9.1 

Turnips      90.5  9.5 

Rutabagas     88.6  11.4 

Carrots     88.6  11.4 

Parsnips    81.0  19.0 

Onions    87.6  12.4 

Peanuts,     hulled 10.9  89.1 


% 

24.8 
24.1 
25.0 
29.0 


4.1 

1.5 


0.5 
0.7 


6.4 

4.1 
14.4 
3.2 
7.2 
4.8 


0.7 
0.9 
0.7 
1.0 
3.9 
0.6 
1.3 
0.9 
0.9 
0.9 
1.2 
1.3 
1.3 
6.3 
0.7 
3.1 


% 
6.2 
8.3 

7.4 
4.4 


2.4 
1.4 
0.5 
0.1 
0.1 
0.8 
1.9 


2.4 
3.2 

2.6 
3.1 

3.7 

4.7 


%     % 

12.3  38.1 

15.7  39.3 

14.3  42.7 

5.9  45.0 


2.3 
2.4 
2.5 
1.3 
0.8 
1.0 
2.1 


13.8 
3.9 
7.3 
2.3 
3.0 
1.6 
2.4 


22.4   52.6 
20.8   55.7 


20.2 
20.4 
22.2 
34.0 


0.7 
0.2 
0.5 
0.6 
1.5 
1.0 
1.0 
1.0 
0.9 
1.1 
0.8 
1.2 
1.0 
1.0 
0.6 
3.8   31.5 


1.0 
0.2 
0.8 
0.9 
6.0 
2.1 
1.5 
1.5 
1.8 
14 
1.1 
1.2 
1.1 
1.6 
1.4 


51.1 
56.7 
53.1 
28.8 


5.8 

14.3 

1.8 

3.9 

4.8 

17.3 

24.7 

8.0 

9.8 

5.5 

6.2 

7.5 

7.6 

8.5 

9.4 

46.9 


3.3 

2.9 
2.2 
2.5 


1.0 

0.4 
0.6 
0.3 
0.2 
0.2 
0.5 


3.0 

1.4 
1.2 
1.6 
1.4 
16.9 


0.5 
0.3 
0.2 
0.1 
6.9 
0.1 
0.4 
0.1 
0.1 
0.2 
0.2 
0.2 
0.4 
1.6 
0.3 
3.8 


3.7 

2.9 
3.4 

8.7 


7.0 
2.0 
3.5 
2.3 
2.7 
2.1 
1.7 


2.4 
2.8 
2,6 
3.0 
2.5 
2.1 


67 
71 
71 
66 


85 
92 
85 
93 
90 
117 


17 
3 
6 
31 
22 
31 
13 

n 

8 
8 
10 
II 
15 
13 


7. 
7. 
7. 
1.4   100 


Animal  Food. 

Whole    milk 87.2 

Skimmilk,    raised.  ..  .90.4 
Sklmmilk,   separated. 90.6 

Buttermilk     90.1 

Beef  scrap    1.3 

Pork  scrap    0.8 

Dried  blood 6.7 

Green    bones    6.9 


12.8      —      — 


9.4 
9.9 
98.7 
99.2 
93.3 
93.1 


—  6.6 

—  24.5 


8.5 

3.1 

2.9 

3.9 

58.0 

57.4 

65.1 

22.3 


4.8 
4.7 
5.2 
4.0 


5.3 


3.7 

0.8 
0.3 
1.0 
32.9 
39.6 
16.3 
16.5 


4.0 

2.0 
2.0 
1.6 
1.4 

1.7 
0.6 
1.8 


18 

11 

10 

13 

154 

170 

124 

69 


CHAPTER  VI 

Hatching  and  Rearing  the 
Natural  Way 

The  old  hen  must  continue  to  be  the  means  of 
hatching  and  rearing  chickens  for  a  vast  number  of 
poultry  keepers,  particularly  those  who  have  small 
flocks.  The  two  great  advantages  of  using  artificial 
methods  are  in  being  able  to  handle  a  large  number  of 
chickens  and  eggs  with  the  least  expenditure  of  time, 
and  in  getting  the  eggs  hatched  during  the  winter  and 
early  spring  months  when  it  is  difficult  to  obtain 
broody  hens. 

The  first  essential  in  the  rearing  of  chicks  is  to 
procure  fertile  eggs  with  strong  vigorous  germs. 
These  can  only  be  obtained  from  healthy,  well-cared- 
for  stock.  Fowls  which  are  forced  to  heavy  winter  egg 
production  are  not  likely  to  produce  strong,  vigorous 
eggs  or  chicks.  For  success  in  chicken  raising  com- 
fortable houses  and  judicious  feeding  of  the  breeding 
stock  during  the  winter  are  positively  necessary. 
Gather  the  eggs  frequently  during  cold  weather  to  pre- 
vent chilling  and  keep  them  at  a  moderate,  even  tem- 
perature. 

Early  hatching  is  desirable  to  get  pullets  laying 
early  in  the  fall  or  in  order  to  sell  the  first  brood  for 
broilers  during  May  and  June,  when  prices  are  highest. 
However  desirable  it  may  be  to  have  early  broods  noth- 
ing will  be  gained  by  anticipating  the  natural  order  of 
spring  unless  prepared  with  certain  fixtures  needed  for 
the  comfort  and  health  of  the  young  birds  as  well  as 
the  mother  hen.    There  is  also  profit  in  late  broods. 


150  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

Hens  should  be  set  in  July  or  August  for  this  purpose. 
The  chickens  will  reach  broiling  and  roasting  size  by 
Thanksgiving  and  Christmas  and  can  be  raised  at  little 
expense,  as  they  grow  quickly  and  glean  much  from 
the  fields  during  the  fall  months. 

SETTING  THE   HEN 

To  set  a  hen  successfully  it  is  necessary  first  to 
get  the  hen.  If  a  hen,  when  she  first  appears  to  be 
broody,  is  removed  from  her  nest  to  the  place  where  it 
is  desired  to  have  her  sit,  she  will  probably  break  up 
and  not  sit  at  all.  It  is  therefore  advisable  to  leave 
her  on  the  usual  nest  for  several  days  before  removing 
her  to  the  one  where  she  is  expected  to  hatch.  The 
hatching  nest  should  be  made  with  care,  thoroughly 
shaped,  slightly  hollowing,  and  provided  with  lice 
expelling  substances,  such  as  tobacco  leaves,  sulphur 
or  some  of  the  prepared  insecticides.  If  it  is  made 
hastily  and  carelessly  the  eggs  are  in  danger  of  being 
broken  and  the  desired  hatch  may  never  take  place. 

An  excellent  nest  for  sitting  hens  is  made  of  two 
duplicate  grocery  boxes,  hinged  as  shown  in  Figure 
53.  A  deep  box  makes  it  necessary  for  the  hen  to 
jump  down  upon  the  eggs.  With  this  nest  she  has 
but  to  step  in  upon  the  surface  of  the  nest,  when  the 
upper  box  can  be  let  down,  serving  as  a  cover.  Holes 
are  bored  in  each  box  to  give  a  sufficient  circulation  of 
air.  A  box  eighteen  inches  long,  fourteen  inches  wide 
and  eighteen  inches  high  makes  a  good  nest.  Take 
off  the  top  and  split  so  that  one  strip  is  seven  inches 
wide,  which  is  nailed  to  one  side  of  the  opening,  as 
shown  at  the  right  in  Figure  53.  Two  short  pieces  are 
nailed  on  this  at  a  and  b  to  hold  the  door.  This  box 
may  be  used  for  a  nest  in  which  to  set  the  hens  and  it 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING 


151 


Stands  on  the  floor.    Several  holes  are  bored  in  the 
box  for  ventilation. 

If  late  enough  in  the  season  to  procure  it,  earth 
makes  the  best  foundation  for  a  nest,  because  it  can  be 
properly  shaped  and  pressed  firmly  together.  Over 
the  earth  a  sprinkling  of  chaff  or  short  fine  hay  should 
be  placed,  because  this  keeps  the  eggs  clean  and  is 
more  comfortable  for  the  hen.  A  hen  which  is  com- 
fortable will  sit  better  and  produce  more  satisfactory 


FIG.  53 — PROTECTED  NESTS  FOR  SITTING  HENS 


results  than  one  which  must  pursue  her  duties  with 
discomfort. 

Having  properly  prepared  the  nest,  place  in  it  as 
many  china  eggs  as  the  hen  is  expfected  to  cover  and 
gently  remove  the  hen  at  night  to  this  nest.  If  she  is 
thoroughly  broody  and  has  been  removed  carefully  she 
will  settle  down  upon  the  china  eggs  with  a  satisfied 
croon.  She  should  then  be  left  for  the  night  and  fed 
and  watered  the  next  morning.  If  she  is  on  her  eggs 
the  next  night,  they  should  be  removed  and  the  real 
eggs  be  given  to  her.  Many  advise  giving  a  sitting 
hen  only  corn  and  water.  But  if  the  hen  has  been 
accustomed  to  a  different  diet  she  should  have  at  the 
start  the  same  kind  of  food  as  that  to  which  she  has 


152  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

been  accustomed.  Sudden  change  in  diet  is  liable  to 
upset  the  digestion  and  bring  on  diarrhea.  If  one 
wishes  to  feed  largely  on  corn,  make  the  change  grad- 
ually, adding  a  little  larger  proportion  of  corn  each 
day.     Should  an  undue  looseness  of  the  bowels  occur, 


FIG.   54— OLD  FASHIONED  A  COOP 

the  addition  of  a  little  sulphate  of  iron  to  the  drinking 
water  will  usually  correct  the  difficulty. 

It  is  a  very  good  practice  to  thoroughly  dust  the 
hen  with  some  insect  powder  about  three  times  during 
the  period  of  her  incubation,  once  when  she  begins  her 
duties,  once  after  a  week  or  so,  and  the  third  time 
about  the  nineteenth  day.  This  will  keep  her  from 
vermin.  A  sitting  hen  should  be  subjected  to  as  little 
disturbance  as  possible,  but  it  is  necessary  to  notice 
whether  the  eggs  are  broken  or  fouled.     In  such  cases 


FIG.    55 COOP    WITH    RUN    AND    SHELTER 

the  nest  should  be  furnished  with  clean  materials  and 
the  unbroken  eggs  carefully  washed  in  warm  water. 
After  washing  they  should  be  wiped  dry  and  immedi- 
iately  replaced  under  the  hen.  If,  however,  the  hen 
is  a  quiet  fowl  (and  only  such  are  fit  for  maternal 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING  1 53 

duties),  and  the  nest  has  been  properly  made  and  the 
hen  properly  fed  and  cared  for,  there  are  not  many 
chances  of  having  the  eggs  broken  or  the  nest  fouled. 

Two  hens  should  be  set  at  the  same  time  and 
when  they  hatch  give  one  the  chicks  and  reset  the 
other.  The  chicks  must  be  removed  as  soon  as  hatched 
and  taken  out  of  hearing  or  she  may  refuse  to  sit 
again. 

The  number  of  eggs  to  put  under  a  hen  will  vary 
with  the  season  and  size  of  hen  and  eggs.     In  Febru- 


FIG.  56 — COOP  WITH  WIRE  COVERED  RUN 

ary  and  early  March  eleven  eggs  are  usually  as  many 
as  a  medium-sized  hen  can  cover.  A  little  later  thir- 
teen or  fifteen  may  be  used,  while  in  May  and  June 
seventeen  or  nineteen  can  be  given  to  a  Plymouth 
Rock  or  Brahma.  An  odd  number  of  eggs  generally 
fit  in  the  nest  better  than  an  even  number. 

Between  the  seventh  and  tenth  day  of  incubation, 
the  eggs  should  be  tested,  and  infertile  ones  taken  out 
to  cook  for  young  chicks.  The  testing  must  be  done 
in  the  dark.     If  you  have  no  tester  hold  the  eggs  in 


^54 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


front  of  a  lamp,  one  by  one,  with  the  thumb  and 
forefinger  of  the  right  hand,  while  with  the  left  shade 
the  large  base.  If  the  egg  is  fertile,  the  air  chamber 
is  opaque  while  the  rest  of  the  egg  is  dark  and  heavy 
looking,  the  two  portions  being  divided  by  a  clear 
dark  line.  If  the  eggs  are  light  and  opaque  through- 
out, like  fresh  laid,  there  is  no  use  returning  them  to 
the  nest.     Sometimes .  more  than  half  the  eggs  turn 


o 

^ 

> 

o 

• 

o 

0 

.* 

o 

0 

•  . 

o 

rJ  ^' 


A. 


FIG.   57 CONVENIENT   BOX   COOP 


out  bad,  and  then  if  several  hens  have  been  set  at  the 
same  time,  the  good  eggs  can  be  bunched,  thus  econo- 
mizing the  stock  of  hens. 

When  through  hatching,  squeeze  a  rag  dipped  in 
coal  oil  and  rub  lightly  through  the  hen's  feathers, 
especially  along  the  inside  of  wing  quills  where  the 
lice  have  deposited  their  eggs,  then  put  her  out  with 
the    other    fowls    if    not    needed    for    young    chicks. 


NATURAL   HATCHING  AND  REARING 


155 


Some  wear  a  glove  or  mitten  when  handling  sitting 
hens.  Some  are  cross  and  pick  so  hard  they  draw 
blood.  If  one  has  a  hasty  temper,  the  glove  will  at 
least  save  bad  words. 

BROOD    COOPS    FOR   HEN   AND   CHICKS 

Suitable  coops  must  be  provided  for  the  hen  and 
young  chicks.  There  are  almost  innumerable  num- 
bers, varieties  and  styles.  The  old-fashioned  A  coop 
shown  in  Figures  54  and  55,  is  cheap,  easily  made  and 
very  serviceable.  With  a  yard  attached  it  is  more 
comfortable  for  the  hen.     A  modification  of  this  coop 


t  =  =  = 


FIG.    58 FRAMEWORK    OF   COOP  AND   RUN 

is  shown  in  Figure  56,  where  a  yard  is  made  of  inch 
mesh  wire  netting  eighteen  inches  high  and  covered 
with  netting  also,  which  coop  is  valuable  where  hawks 
and  crows  are  abundant.  The  yard  should  be  made 
about  four  feet  square. 

A  very  convenient  coop  is  shown  in  Figures  57 
and  58.  This  is  a  square  coop  easily  made  from  a 
grocery  box  and  should  have  a  tight  roof  either  of 
matched  boards  or  covered  with  paper.  It  has  a  floor 
and  a  small  yard  attached.  The  framework  of  the 
yard  is  shown  in  Figure  58  at  c  and  one  side  of  the 
yard  and  coop  at  d.  At  night  the  slide  h  in  Figure  57 
can  be  let  down,  which  will  keep  out  rats,  mink^,  cats 


156 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


and  other  enemies.     A  ventilated  coop   is   shown   at 

Figure  59.  This  is  sim- 
ilar in  some  respects  to 
the  above  except  that 
the  raised  portion  above 
the  top  of  the  original 
box  is  made  of  slats. 
Such  a  coop  will  not  do 
for  cold  weather  but 
during    warm   nights    is 


FIG.  59 VENTILATED  COOP 


much     better 
chickens. 


for     the 


A  coop  for  very  early  chickens  is  shown  in  Figure 
60.  This  consists  of  a  box  three  by  six  feet  in  size, 
covered  with  a  hotbed  sash.  The  front  is  of  wire  net- 
ting or  slats,  through  which  the  young  chicks  can  be 
allowed  to  run  out  in  suitable  weather,  while  the  hen 
is  confined  to  the  rear  portion.  A  part  of  this  coop 
could  be  shaded  with  a  board,  as  even  in  early  spring 
it  becomes  very  hot  when  the  sun  is  shining  on  the 
glass.  At  night  the  coop  should  be  well  covered  with 
an  old  blanket  or  mat. 


FIG.    60 PROTECTED    COOP    FOR    EARLY    CHICKS 


An  old  barrel  turned  on  its  side,  as  shown  m 
Figure  61,  makes  a  very  cheap  and  handy  coop.  It  is 
protected  from  rolling  by  laying  a  stone  or  brick  at 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING 


157 


each  side  or  driving  in  two  stakes, 
front,  three  inches  apart,  serve  to 


A  few  stakes  in 
confine  the  hen 


FIG.   61 UTILIZING  OLD  BARRELS   i< 


OR   COOPS 


Egg  crates  provide  shade  for  the  young  chickens  and 
at  night  are  placed  in  front  of  the  coop  to  keep  ont 
skunks,  etc. 

A  front  board  for  snaae  ana  protection  is  shown 
in  Figure  62.  This  is  hinged  over  the  slatted  front  an  1 
can  be  adjusted  at  any 
angle  to  keep  out  sun 
or  rain  and  closed  at 
night.  An  open  panel 
at  the  top  covered  with 
wire  netting  provides 
ventilation. 

A  coop  for  two 
broods  is  shown  in  Fig- 
ure 6;^.  This  has  a 
movable  bottom  d,  and 
a  partition  c,  which  goes 


FIG.    62 — SHADE  BOARP 


i5« 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


in  the  middle  and  separates  the  hens.  This  partition 
can  be  made  sohd  if  desired.  Such  a  coop  is  useful 
only  wliere  hens  are  congenial  and  do  not  kill  each 
other's  chicks.  The  front  panel  b,  which  allows  the 
chicks  to  run  in  and  out,  is  replaced  at  night  with  the 
panel  a,  covered  with  fine  wire  netting. 

CARE    OF    NEWLY     HATCHED     CHICKS 


When  the  chicks  are  twenty-four  hours  old  they 
are  ready  to  take  off.     Dust  hen  with  some  insecticide 


COOP    FOR   TWO    BROODS 


and  rub  a  bit  of  lard  upon  head  of  each  chick. 
Remove  hen  and  the  chicks  to  a  clean  coop,  with  board 
floor  covered  with  dry  sand.  No  matter  what  kind  of 
a  coop,  from  a  barrel  laid  down  to  the  most  improved 
patented  article,  is  used,  see  that  it  is  clean  and  the 
bottom  covered  with  fine  sand,  or  if  the  weather  be 
really  cold,  with  oat  chaff  or  short  fine  hay.  The  last 
thing  which  the  chick  does  before  breaking  the  shell  is 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING  1 59 

to  absorb  the  yolk.  This  sustains  it  and  gives  it  nour- 
ishment for  twenty-four  to  forty-eight  hours  and  until 
this  yolk  is  thoroughly  assimilated  by  the  system  it  is 
unwise  and  injurious  to  give  other  food.  Thousands 
of  chicks  are  killed  annually  by  feeding  them  too  soon. 

They  can  go  without  food  as  long  as  sixty  hours 
after  hatching  and  no  harm  will  be  done.  Up  to  this 
time  they  should  have  received  no  food.  But  they 
are  now  ready  for  their  first  meal.  Give  them  water 
to  drink  in  a  vessel  into  which  they  cannot  get  their 
bodies.  Whatever  their  first  food  may  be,  give  them 
only  a  small  quantity,  the  best  rule  for  feeding  being 
"little  and  often." 

Two  distinct  methods  of  feeding  have  their 
special  advocates,  the  wet,  that  is,  with  mixed  up 
dough;  and  the  dry,  that  is,  without  the  addition  of 
water  to  the  food  stuffs.  I  have  used  both  methods 
with  success,  but  think,  on  the  whole,  the  dry  method 
or  a  judicious  combination  of  the  two  is  the  more  sat- 
isfactory for  most  persons.  But  whichever  of  the  two 
methods  is  employed,  the  food  should  approximate  to 
a  balanced  ration,  that  is,  should  have  enough  of 
muscle  and  fat  forming  elements  to  promote  the 
growth  of  the  whole  organism. 

Corn,  whether  finely  cracked  or  ground  into  meal, 
does  not  make  such  a  ration.  There  is  too  much  of 
the  fat  and  too  little  of  the  muscle  forming  elements. 
Yet,  when  chickens  run  out  and  eat  grass  and  where 
insect  life  is  abundant,  they  may  do  well  on  a  corn  diet, 
because  they  secure  for  themselves  the  lacking  ele- 
ments. If  to  the  corn  is  added  some  form  of  animal 
food,  the  ration  will  be  better.  For  a  single  grain, 
provided  it  could  be  obtained  cheaply  enough,  I  should 
prefer  barley.  I  have  used  oats,  corn  meal  and  beef 
scraps  with  very  satisfactory  results  and  with  even 


l6o  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

better  results  when  I  have  added  shorts  to  the  mix- 
ture. 

No  set  rule  of  feeding  can  be  laid  down,  so  much 
depends  upon  the  feeds  at  hand,  the  breed  of  chicks, 
and  the  season  of  the  year.  In  early  spring  when 
chicks  must  be  confined  to  sheds  or  buildings  they  will 
want  different  feeding  from  later  in  the  season  when 
they  may  have  free  run.  Feed  the  first  day  or  two 
upon  a  mixture  of  bread  crumbs  grated  and  finely 
chopped  hard-boiled  eggs.  In  a  few  days  rolled  oats 
may  be  added  to  this.  If  possible,  use  a  little  hard- 
boiled  egg  the  first  week.  In  a  few  days  begin  to  add 
a  little  beef  scrap  or  animal  meal  to  their  feed. 

A  most  excellent  plan  of  feeding  and  one  which 
invariably  gives  good  results  is  to  mix  together  equal 
parts  of  corn  meal  finely  ground,  wheat  bran  or  coarse 
middlings  and  ground  oats  or  barley  from  which  the 
hull  has  been  sifted  out.  To  one  quart  of  this  mixture 
add  a  tablespoonful  of  animal  meal  or  fine  beef  scraps, 
a  teaspoonful  of  bone  flour  and  a  teaspoonful  of  bak- 
ing soda  and  mix  up  with  skimmilk.  Put  in  a  baking 
pan  and  bake  hard.  Then  crumble  it  fine  and  feed  the 
chicks  upon  this  five  times  a  day  all  they  will  eat  clean 
in  fifteen  minutes.  This  system  of  feeding  can  be 
followed  with  profit  and  advantage  until  the  chicks  are 
six  weeks  old,  when  they  can  subsist  entirely  upon  dry 
grains  and  one  or  two  feeds  a  day  of  the  mash  which 
the  other  fowls  receive.  After  the  chicks  are  three  or 
four  weeks  old  two  feeds  a  day  can  be  given  of  small 
grain  seeds  and  cracked  corn. 

The  dry  system  of  feeding,  which  is  advocated  by 
many  and  practiced  with  success,  consists  in  feeding 
the  chicks  entirely  upon  dry  grains  either  whole  or 
ground.  These  may  be  placed  in  self-feeders  and  the 
chicks  allowed  free  access  at  all  times,  or  they  may  be 
fed  five  times  a  day  as  much  as  they  will  eat  clean  in 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING  lOl 

fifteen  minutes.  Either  method  will  give  satisfactory 
results  in  the  hands  of  a  careful  person.  Where  such 
good  care  cannot  be  given,  the  dry  method  of  feeding 
will  prove  most  satisfactory,  for  there  is  no  danger  of 
sour,  tainted  feed  causing  diarrhea  and  other  troubles. 
There  are  now  made  and  sold  many  prepared  chick 
feeds,  most  of  which  will  give  good  results. 

Bahy  Chick  Food — Cracked  wheat,  twenty-five 
pounds;  pin  head  oatmeal  or  rolled  oats,  twenty 
pounds ;  millet  seed,  ten  pounds ;  cracked  corn,  fifteen 
pounds ;  granulated  charcoal,  three  pounds ;  chick  size 
grit,  five  pounds ;  beef  scraps,  five  pounds.  This  is  the 
same  as  one  of  the  best  grades  of  chick  food  largely 
advertised. 

In  addition  to  grain  young  chicks  require  grit, 
charcoal,  and  some  material  to  make  bone.  Sharp 
coarse  sand  will  answer,  but  the  fine  grit  from  lime- 
stone rock  is  best.  Keep  a  box  of  it  where  they  can 
have  free  access  to  it.  Charcoal  is  a  great  corrective 
for  stomach  and  bowel  troubles.  A  little  of  this  may 
be  mixed  in  the  feed  several  times  a  week.  The  need 
of  something  to  furnish  material  for  the  growth  of 
bones  is  very  important.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
:hick's  body  is  composed  of  mineral  elements  and  unless 
enough  of  these  are  supplied  the  chick  will  not  make 
the  fastest  growth.  It  will  grow  only  as  fast  as  it  can 
get  mineral  matter  from  the  feed,  and  grain  furnishes 
only  about  one-half  as  much  as  needed.  Tests  by  the 
New  York  experiment  station  show  that  if  mineral 
matter  is  supplied  in  addition  to  the  grain  a  much  more 
rapid  growth  results.  Fine  bone  flour  is  one  of  the 
most  convenient  and  best  substances  for  this  purpose. 
In  this  form  it  can  be  mixed  with  the  mash  or  bread, 
or  granulated  bone  can  be  kept  in  a  box  where  the 
chicks  can  have  access  to  it.  Green  cut  bone  is  prob- 
ably as  good  a  form  as  any  to  supply  this  material,  but 


1 62 


MAKING   POULTRY'   PAY 


care  must  be  taken  that  it  is  perfectly  fresh  and  sweet. 

A  very     satisfactory    trough     for     feeding    half 

grown  chickens  is  shown  in  Figure  64.     This  is  easily 

made  of  laths  and  inch  boards.     It  should  be  four  to 


FIG.   64 FEEDING  TROUGH    FOR   CHICKS 

six  inches  wide,  inside  measurement,  one  foot  high  and 
the  laths  placed  two  and  one-half  inches  apart.  The 
cover  can  be  hinged,  which  will  prevent  the  chickens 
from  getting  in  the  feed.  Dry  grains  are  best  scat- 
tered broadcast  on  the  ground  or  in  the  litter.  The 
growing  chicks  should  always  be  fed  by  themselves 
where  the  older  fowls  cannot  run  over  them  or  steal 
their  food.  If  they  all  run  together  provide  a  feeding 
pen  for  the  chicks  in  which  the  feed  can  be  placed.     A 


FIG.    65 COVERED    FEEDING    PEN    FOR    CHICKS 


pen  as  shown  in  Figure  65,  four  feet  wide  and  twelve 
feet  long,  will  accommodate  100  chicks.  The  slats  on 
the  sides  should  be  three  inches  apart.  The  top  may 
be  covered  with  wire  netting.     Make  the  sides  in  four 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING  1 63 

pieces  and  hook  them  together.  The  coop  is  easily 
taken  apart  and  laid  away  in  the  fall. 

Milk  in  any  form  is  a  good  drink  and  food  for 
young  chicks;  it  furnishes  both  food  and  drink.  But 
they  must  have  water  too.  The  milk  must  be  placed  in 
vessels  in  which  the  chicks  cannot  get  their  bodies  or 
they  will  get  all  daubed  up  with  it.  Great  care  is 
needed  to  keep  the  vessels  clean. 

Bowel  trouble  is  commonly  caused  by  the  chicks 
getting  chilled,  sour,  putrid  food,  or  improper  feeding. 
Remove  the  cause  and  give  a  little  charcoal  in  the  food 
and  baking  soda  in  the  drinking  water  and  the  trouble 
will  usually  quickly  disappear. 

The  question  of  how  much  will  a  chick,  gain,  is  an 
interesting  one.  The  following  is  about  correct:  The 
eggs  weigh  two  ounces;  the  newly  hatched  chick 
weighs  one  and  a  quarter  ounces;  at  one  week  old, 
two  ounces ;  three  weeks  old,  six  and  a  quarter  ounces ; 
four  weeks  old,  ten  ounces;  five  weeks  old,  fourteen 
ounces;  six  weeks  old,  eighteen  and  a  half  ounces; 
seven  weeks  old,  twenty-three  and  a  half  ounces ;  nine 
weeks  old,  thirty-two  ounces ;  ten  weeks  old,  thirty-six 
ounces ;  eleven  weeks  old,  forty-one  ounces. 

WATER   FOR  YOUNG  CHICKS 

Fresh,  clean  water  should  be  kept  before  the 
young  chicks  all  the  time.  Some  advocate  giving 
water  several  times  a  day  and  removing  the  dish  as 
soon  as  all  the  chicks  have  had  a  drink.  This  is  too 
much  work  for  most  poultry  keepers.  There  is  no 
harm  in  keeping  a  drinking  fountain  before  them  if 
the  water  is  clean  and  pure.  For  baby  chicks  a  com- 
mon teacup  filled  with  water  covered  with  an  inverted 
saucer  and  then  turned  upside  down,  makes  an  ideal 


l54  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

fountain.  After  turning  the  cup  over  raise  it  slightl}' 
on  one  side  and  slip  in  a 
thin  bit  of  wood.  This 
causes  a  perpetual  flow  until 
the  cup  is  empty  and  it  will 
not  run  over  the  saucer.  Tin 
cans  in  which  vegetables  or 
fruits  have  been  preserved, 
make  good  drinking  foun- 
tains. Remove  the  cover 
and  with  a  nail  punch  a  hole 
in  the  side  of  the  can  about 
one-half  inch  below  the  top^iG.  00— chick  fountain 
of  the  rim.  Fill  with  water  and  invert  over  it  a  saucer 
or  shallow  paii.  Then  turn  upside  down.  Earthen- 
ware fountains,  such  as  shown  in  Figure  66,  are  made 
in  several  sizes  for  small  chicks  and  fowls.  The 
advantage  of  fountains  such  as  described  is  that  the 
chicks  cannot  get  their  bodies  wet.  They  keep  the 
water  clean  and  cool  and  provide  a  supply  as  long  as 
any  water  remains  in  them. 

removing  the  hen 

The  hen  should  be  removed  as  soon  as  the  chicks 
are  old  enough  to  take  care  of  themselves.  In  early 
spring  this  will  be  about  six  weeks  to  two  months  after 
hatching;  in  summer,  four  weeks.  Chicks  should 
have  a  coop  to  roost  in  at  night.  They  must  have 
plenty  of  ventilation,  yet  be  protected  from  showers  in 
the  night.  Shelters,  such  as  shown  in  Figures  6y  and 
68,  are  very  useful.  After  the  chicks  are  two  months 
old  they  should  be  provided  with  a  shelter,  shed  or 
open  houses  of  some  kind  in  which  to  roost,  and  not  be 
allowed  to  seek  the  trees. 

Separate  the  Cockerels  and  Pullets — As  soon  as 
the  cockerels  can  be  distinguished  from  the  pullets  the 


NATURAL  HATCHING  AND  REARING 


i6S 


^r/"ill.. 


FIG.    6y OUTDOOR    SUMMER    SHELTER    FOR    CHICKS 

sexes  should  be  separated  and  the  cockerels  kept  by 
themselves.  A  few  of  the  best  can  be  raised  for  breed- 
ing and  the  rest  should  be  fed  and  marketed  as  soon 
as  possible.  Both  sexes  make  greater  gains  and  do 
better  if  separated. 

Before  the  cold  nights  of  fall  come  on  the  pullets 
should  be  taught  to  roost  in  the  laying  house  where 
they  are  to  be  wintered.  Remove  the  windows,  sub- 
stitute wire  screens  and  get  the  pullets  into  these 
houses  early.  Where  the  fowls  are  allowed  to  roost  in 
trees  until  cold  weather  and  then  confined  in  close 
houses  there  is  certain  to  be  more  or  less  trouble  with 
colds  and  roup,  all  of  which  can  be  avoided  by  getting 
them  in  the  houses  early. 


m<^y 


FIG.  6^ — CATPROOF  SHELTER  FOR  CHICKS 


CHAPTER  VII 
Artificial  Incubation 

AN    ORPHAN 

A  well-known  professor  has  a  bright  boy,  who 
one  day,  at  the  age  of  four,  appeared  in  his  father's 
study  clasping  in  his  hands  a  forlorn-looking  little 
chicken,  which  had  strayed  from  a  neighboring 
brooder. 

"Willie,"  said  his  father,  "take  that  chicken  back 
to  its  mother." 

"Ain't  dot  any  mudder,"  answered  Willie. 

"Well,  then,  take  it  back  to  its  father,"  said  the 
professor,  determined  to  maintain  parental  authority. 

"Ain't  dot  any  fader,"  said  the  child.  "Ain't  dot 
anythin'  but  an  old  lamp !" 

A   BIT  OF  HISTORY 

How  long  artificial  incubation  has  been  practiced 
is  not  known.  The  Egyptians,  the  Assyrians,  the 
Greeks,  and  the  Chinese  are  known  to  have  practiced  it 
many  centuries  ago.  And  from  the  crude  ovens  of 
those  semi-civilized  peoples  the  American  incubator 
has  come  in  the  evolution  of  things.  M.  Reaumur,  a 
Frenchman,  was  so  far  as  known  the  first  European 
to  plan  an  incubator.  But  Reaumur's  plan  was  wholly 
and  distinctly  different  from  the  incubators  of  today. 
The  Frenchman  put  his  eggs  in  boxes,  casks,  etc., 
and  piled  dung  about  them,  which  fermented  and  made 
file  necessary  heat,  the  manure  being  replenished  when 
needed.     But  we  have  no  details.     We  don't  know 

166 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  I67 

whether  he  turned  the  eggs  and  cooled  them,  and  if  he 
did,  we  do  not  know  the  process.  Reaumur  patterned 
after  the  Egyptians,  but  in  a  much  smaller  way. 
Another  Frenchman,  M.  Cantelo,  is  really  the  inventor 
of  our  modern  incubators.  He  studied  the  philosophy 
of  upper  heat,  and  constructed  an  incubator  with  a  hot 
water  tank  above  the  eggs.  Incubators  were  attempted 
in  England  later  on,  but  no  machine  was  produced 
that  caused  a  sensation,  or  which  gave  promise  to  be 
an  improvement  over  the  manure  method  of  M.  Reau- 
mur. 

America,  is,  perhaps,  the  real  birthplace  of  the 
successful  incubator.  About  1870,  Jacob  Graves  & 
Co.  of  Boston  invented  an  incubator  which  was  a  suc- 
cess, and  many  machines  were  sent  to  England,  where 
they  did  good  work.  The  Graves  incubator  was 
exhibited  at  the  Boston  poultry  show  of  1873,  and  did 
such  good  work  that  it  at  once  stimulated  inventors 
and  breeders  to  make  other  machines.  We  cannot  say 
positively  that  Mr.  Graves'  incubator  was  the  first 
made  in  America,  but  upon  investigation  and  inquiry 
can  find  account  of  no  other.  At  least  none  were  suc- 
cessful before  that  period. 

The  Start — Purchase  a  good  machine.  There  are 
many  of  them.  In  fact,  good  incubators  are  the  rule 
now;  poor  incubators  the  exception.  An  incubator  to 
sell  in  this  age  must  possess  merit;  must  hatch.  Time 
was,  in  the  early  days,  when  the  rage  for  incubators 
was  at  fever  heat,  that  any  kind  of  a  machine  would 
sell,  and  there  were  some  flimsy  ones  made  by  persons 
who  knew  nothing  at  all  of  artificial  incubation. 
Happily,  however,  these  wildcat  machines  have  nearly 
all  disappeared  or  been  made  better.  It  is  no  trouble 
now  to  get  a  good  machine  that  will  hatch  a  fair  per 
cent  of  the  eggs.  Do  not  get  one  below  100  ^gg 
capacity,  and  double  that  is  better.     It  is  no  more  work 


l68  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

nor  expense  to  run  a  large  machine  and  results  from 
the  larger  one  count  for  something.  There  are  both 
hot  air  and  hot  water  machines  with  good  reputations. 
Some  prefer  one  kind,  some  the  other  kind.  Under 
right  conditions  both  hatch  equally  well. 

Setting  the  Machine — Now  that  you  have  pur- 
chased your  incubator,  you  may  be  inclined  to  put  it 
in  the  cellar.  Don't — not  if  you  have  a  room  above  the 
cellar.  Running  down  cellar  and  up  again  many  times 
a  day  is  tiresome  and  unnecessary  work.  You  don't 
have  to  put  the  incubator  in  the  cellar  for  best  results. 
Incubators  were  put  in  cellars  first,  because  insurance 
men  objected  to  them  as  dangerous  in  buildings,  and 
refused  to  insure  houses  where  they  were  run  in 
upstairs  rooms.  Then  the  idea  got  abroad  and  gained 
currency  that  the  cellar  was  the  proper  place  for  an 
incubator  because  it  was  moister,  and  people  put  their 
incubators  there.  Above  all,  the  room  in  which  the 
machine  is  placed  should  be  well  ventilated,  free  from 
drafts  and  from  great  fluctuations  of  temperature 
between  night  and  day. 

Having  selected  a  room  or  place  for  your  incu- 
bator, the  next  thing  is  to  get  eggs.  Fresh,  fertile 
eggs  are  necessary  for  a  good  hatch.  Having  the  eggs 
ready,  heat  up  the  incubator,  and  when  it  marks  103, 
and  you  have  held  it  there  for  somie  time,  put  in  the 
eggs,  but  don't  change  the  regulator. 

Do  not  place  the  thermometer  on  the  eggs,  nor 
let  the  bulb  touch  an  tgg.  If  there  is  no  hook  or 
device  attached  to  the  heater  to  fasten  the  thermom- 
eter to,  make  one,  or  have  it  made  before  starting  the 
machine.  If  the  thermometer  is  laid  on  the  eggs, 
when  the  chickens  hatch  they  trample  on  it,  and  you 
cannot  tell  how  the  heat  is.  Have  the  thermometer 
fixed  so  that  it  will  hang  slanting  from  above.  It  may 
rest  on  the  ^gg  tray,  or  hang  just  above  the  eggs. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  I69 

What  you  want  to  tell  all  the  time  is  the  heat  of  the 
egg  chamber.  If  the  thermometer  touches  or  rests  on 
an  infertile  egg  it  will  register  wrong.  Never  use  a 
cheap  or  common  thermometer.  If  the  machine  you 
use  is  homemade  send  and  get  the  best  thermometer 
you  can  purchase.  If  you  accidentally  break  the 
thermometer  and  cannot  get  another,  secure  the  best 
you  can,  take  it  to  a  doctor  and  test  it  with  his  clinical 
thermometer,  and  you  can  then  tell  how  many  degrees 
it  varies.  I  have  known  of  complete  failures  in  hatch- 
ing because  of  the  use  of  cheap  thermometers.  Even 
tested  incubator  thermometers  vary  from  one  to  three 
degrees  after  being  kept  a  year  or  two.  They  should 
always  be  tested  each  season  before  starting  the 
machine  and  the  temperature  kept  according  to  the 
corrected  readings.  Many  failures  and  poor  hatches 
are  due  solely  to  a  thermometer  which  registers  too 
high  or  too  low. 

Care  of  the  Lamp — Be  particular  to  fill  the  lamp 
and  trim  it  at  least  once  a  day,  morning  or  evening, 
but  at  a  regular  time  every  day. 

Turning  the  Eggs — The  evening  of  the  third  day 
take  out  the  egg  tray  and  turn  the  eggs  by  hand. 
There  are  incubators  with  turning  machines.  If  you 
have  an  incubator  of  this  kind,  take  out  the  patent 
turner.  This  will  give  you  room  for  many  more  eggs. 
Then  turn  them  in  the  natural  way,  as  the  hen  turns 
them,  so  that  they  change  positions  once  or  twice  a 
day. 

Next  comes  cooling  the  eggs,  which  is  a  most 
important  and  necessary  thing  to  do.  Begin  on  the 
fifth  day,  and  cool  them  five  minutes,  but  not  in  cold 
weather,  unless  the  temperature  of  the  room  be  above 
sixty  degrees.  Eggs  require  less  airing  in  cold 
weather.  Cooling  makes  the  chicks  strong  and  vigor- 
ous.   Start  with  cooling  the  eggs  five  minutes,  and 


I/O  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

increase  the  time  each  day,  until  you  have  cooled  them 
fifteen  to  twenty  minutes,  and  even  thirty  minutes  the 
last  week  of  the  hatch  if  the  temperature  of  the  room 
be  up  to  seventy  or  eighty  degrees. 

Quit  turning  and  cooling  the  eggs  on  the  evening 
of  the  eighteenth  day,  as  with  fresh,  fertile  eggs, 
some  of  the  chicks  hatch  on  the  nineteenth  or  twen- 
tieth day.  If  the  eggs  are  strictly  fresh  and  fertile, 
the  hatch  will  all  come  off  as  under  the  hen.  I  have 
had  hatches  all  through  within  ten  hours  after  the 
first  chick  pipped  the  shell.  Again,  I  have  had 
hatches  drag  along  until  the  twenty-third  day,  when 
the  eggs  were  of  doubtful  age.  If  you  have  your 
own  hens  in  sufficient  number  to  give  the  required 
number  quickly,  or  if  you  can  gather  perfectly  fresh 
eggs  from  your  neighbors,  the  hatch  will  come  off 
uniform  and  inside  of  twelve  hours.  Remember,  then, 
that  fresh,  fertile  eggs  are  the  chief  requisites  for  a 
good,  quick  hatch.  The  hen  will  sometimes  be  twenty- 
four  hours  hatching.  A  good  incubator,  with  good 
eggs,  managed  rightly,  will  hatch  just  as  well  and 
quick  as  the  hen. 

The  Proper  Heat — The  first  week  try  to  keep 
the  mercury  between  loi  and  103,  preferably  at  102. 
After  the  first  week  the  lamp  does  not  burn  so  much 
oil,  nor  does  it  require  so  large  a  blaze  as  during  the 
first  week.  And  during  the  third  week,  if  the  weather 
be  warm  or  hot,  there  will  be  afternoons  where  the 
lamp  may  be  turned  nearly  out,  or  extinguished  for 
from  one  to  three  hours.  It  is  best,  however,  not  to 
turn  the  lamp  out,  but  to  raise  the  cap  over  the 
lamp  flue,  so  that  the  heat  will  pass  out. 

After  the  ninth  or  tenth  day,  when  the  chick 
begins  to  show  signs  of  real  life,  heat  develops,  and 
this  heat  increases  up  to  the  time  of  the  bursting  of 
the    shell.      From   this    time    on    the    lamp    must   be 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  I7I 

watched,  and  the  blaze  regulated  according  to  neces- 
sity as  indicated  by  the  thermometer. 

If  at  any  time  the  heat  runs  above  105,  turn  down 
the  blaze  and  take  out  the  eggs  and  cool  them  down 
to  100.  With  hot  water  machines  it  is  difficult  to 
reduce  the  heat  quickly.  A  large  body  of  water  holds 
heat  a  long  time,  and  for  this  reason  hot  water 
machines  are  preferred  to  hot  air  machines  by  some 
people  on  plea  that  if  the  lamp  went  out  the  heat 
would  hold  so  long  that  the  accident  would  be  dis- 
covered before  the  hatch  was  injured.  But  if  there 
is  plenty  of  wick  in  the  lamp,  and  it  is  kept  filled, 
the  lamp  will  never  go  out. 

The  second  week  the  heat  in  the  egg  chamber 
will  run  up  in  the  afternoon  if  not  watched.  It  is 
better  to  have  the  heat  too  low  than  too  high.  If 
the  heat  be  too  low,  it  means  a  delayed  and  perhaps 
dragging  hatch;  if  too  high,  it  may  mean  the  total 
destruction  of  the  hatch.  It  must  be  watched  by  one 
person,  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  manage  the  hatch 
entirely.  Where  the  incubator  is  run  by  the  family, 
allowing  anyone  who  happens  to  have  time  to  see  to 
it,  the  result  is  bad,  as  a  rule.  The  incubator  should 
have  one  attendant  who  will  see  to  it  until  the  hatch 
is  completed.   ■ 

Testing  the  Eggs — The  eggs  should  be  tested  on 
the  ninth  or  tenth  day.  Some  use  the  testers  which 
come  with  machines  or  are  on  sale  at  the  supply  stores. 
My  plan  of  testing  is  very  simple.  I  set  a  tray  full 
of  eggs  and  an  empty  tray  on  a  table,  with  a  lamp 
between.  The  fertile  eggs  I  put  in  the  empty  tray 
and  the  infertile  ones  in  a  basket.  I  pick  up  an  egg 
in  my  closed  hand  and  hold  it  to  the  lamp.  If  infertile, 
it  is  transparent ;  if  fertile,  dark ;  if  doubtful,  cloudy. 
I  do  this  rapidly,  and  my  sense  of  touch  is  so  acute 
and  sensitive  that  I  can  tell  an  infertile  egg  in  the 


1/2  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

dark  by  the  feel  of  it.  At  first  I  used  an  egg  tester. 
But  this  was  too  slow,  and  I  resorted  to  the  hand 
process  as  the  most  rapid  way. 

Dark  or  brown  shelled  eggs  are  hard  to  test  satis- 
factorily. I  never  am  satisfied  with  a  test  of  such 
eggs.  The  shells  are  thick  and  not  transparent,  and 
much  of  the  testing  of  them  is  mere  guesswork.  White 
shelled  eggs  are  easily  tested.  An  expert  can  test 
duck  eggs  when  they  have  been  in  the  incubator  four 
or  five  days.  The  shells  are  like  tinted  glass  and  the 
white  of  the  ^gg  translucent. 

I  advise  beginners  to  wait  until  the  tenth  or 
twelfth  day  before  testing,  and  to  do  it  at  night,  with 
a  brilliant  light.  I  have  tested  eggs  in  daylight  in 
a  dark  room,  having  a  small  space  for  the  sun  to 
strike  the  egg,  and  testing  can  be  done  very  suc- 
cessfully. 

Moisture — ^The  question  of  moisture  is  pretty 
nearly  settled.  There  has  been  more  argument,  pro 
and  con,  on  the  moisture  question  than  on  anything 
pertaining  to  artificial  incubation.  The  hot  air  machines 
revolutionized  the  moisture  question  and  prac- 
tically settled  it,  as  the  makers  announced  that  no 
water  pans  were  necessary,  no  moisture  was  needed 
in  the  egg  chamber  except  the  moisture  generated 
by  the  eggs  in  the  drying  out  process.  This  at  oiice 
looked  reasonable,  and  breeders  began  to  study  things. 
And  when  they  tried  their  incubators  without  mois- 
ture pans  and  got  as  good  and  better  hatches  than 
they  did  with  moisture  they  very  sensibly  adopted 
the  new  idea  as  the  best.  A  hen  will  hatch  as  well 
up  in  the  haymow  as  on  the  ground  or  in  the  cellar 
or  under  the  barn.  All  farmers  know  this  to  be  true. 
Birds  build  nests  in  trees,  and  several  species  of  ducks 
nest  and  hatch  their  young  in  trees.     The  size  of  the 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


173 


FIG.    69 SIZE    OF    AIR    CELL    DURING    INCUBATION 

air  cell,  shown  in  Figure  64,  may  be  used  as  a  guide 
in  drying  down  the  eggs  or  in  adding  moisture. 

So  far  as  I  am  concerned  the  moisture  question 
IS  settled.  But  I  advise  purchasers  of  incubators  to 
manage  them  according  to  instructions  first,  and  then 
if  they  fail,  they  should  experiment.  If  the  instruc- 
tion book  says  use  moisture,  use  it.  Then  try  the 
machine  without  moisture.  You  will  then  have  experi- 
mental and  practical  knowledge  you  never  could  gain 
without  experimenting.  Moisture  might  be  needed 
in  high  altitudes,  but  in  low  altitudes  it  has  been 
proven  to  be  wholly  unnecessary  in  artificial  incuba- 
tion. 

The  loss  in  weight  of  eggs  during  incubation,  due 
to  the  drying  down  of  the  eggs,  has  been  carefully 
tested  and  figured  out  by  Horace  Atwood  of  the 
West  Virginia  experiment  station,  who  has  prepared 
the  following  table  showing  normal  loss  in  weight 
of  100  eggs  in  ounces  for  the  first  nineteen  days  of 
incubation  : 

LOSS  IN  WEIGHT  OF  EGGS  DURING  INCUBATION 


1 

Loss 
In  01. 

1  65 

Days 

8 

Loss 
inoz. 

13.44 

Days 

14 

15 

16 

Lost 
In  01 

23,88 

2 

3  31 

9    

10    

11    

15.16 

16.88 

18.60 

25.66 

3 

4.96 

6.62 

8.28 

10.00 

11.72 

27.44 

4 

17    

29.21 

5 

12 

20  33 

18    

30.99 

e   

13 

22.10 

19    

32.77 

7 

174 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


After  placing  the  eggs  upon  the  tray  ready  for 
the  incubator,  set  the  tray  upon  a  pair  of  scales  read- 
ing to  ounces  and  note  the  total  weight  of  eggs  and 
tray.  They  should  decrease  in  weight  each  day  as 
per  the  above  table.  By  watching  the  air  cell,  as 
shown  in  Figure  69,  one  can  tell  whether  the  eggs  are 


FIG.  70 THE  COMPLETED  HATCH 


drying    down    enough    and    regulate    the   ventilation 
accordingly. 

The  Hatch — Quit  turning  and  cooling  the  eggs 
on  the  eighteenth  day,  and  keep  the  incubator  door 
closed  tightly,  until  the  hatch  is  complete,  and  all  the 
chicks  out  of  the  shells  that  will  come  out.  With  the 
beginner  this  is  an  anxious  time,  and  the  chicks  are 
counted  in  advance.    All  expect  a  good  hatch.    Hope 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  175 

is  ever  high  and  buoyant  in  the  breast  of  the  beginner, 
who  sees  a  brooder  full  of  downy  balls.  Failure  is 
not  thought  of,  or,  if  thought  of  at  all,  remotely.  Yet 
it  often  happens. 

To  my  mind,  the  most  important  time  in  artificial 
hatching  is  from  the  eighteenth  day  until  the  chicks 
are  all  out  of  the  shell.  When  the  chicks  begin  to  pip 
the  shells,  do  not  open  the  door  of  the  incubator,  no 
matter  who^  wants  to  see  in.  The  curious  can 
look  through  the  glass  door,  which  must  satisfy  them. 
There  have  been  more  hatches  spoiled  by  opening  the 
door  during  a  hatch  to  satisfy  the  curious  than  you 
are  aware  of. 

Keep  up  the  heat,  and  see  that  it  does  not  get 
too  high  or  too  low,  105  degrees  being  about  right. 
But,  if  you  don't  watch,  the  mercury  will  run  up  to 
no  or  more,  or  it  may  drop  to  below  103,  or  below 
100,  which  is  fatal  to  a  good  hatch.  The  cause  of 
so  many  dead  chicks  in  the  shell  is  due  to  letting  the 
heat  run  down,  as  well  as  to  opening  the  door  of  the 
incubator.  If  the  heat  gets  too  great,  prop  up  the 
cap  of  the  lamp  flue,  and  the  heat  will  escape.  It  is 
the  heat  escaping  from  the  eggs  and  chicks  which 
causes  the  high  temperature. 

Don't  open  the  door  to  help  chicks  out  of  the 
shell.  Such  chicks  have  little  vitality,  and  rarely 
amount  to  much.  Besides,  you  might  kill  a  dozen  or 
more  in  the  shell  in  trying  to  help  one  to  get  out. 
After  the  hatch  is  done  (Figure  70),  and  you  open 
the  door,  you  can  help  those  out  of  the  shell  which 
are  partly  hatched  but  can't  get  out  themselves. — 
[J.  H.  Davis,  Ohio. 

Where  several  incubators  are  run  it  is  advisable 
to  have  a  building  on  purpose  for  them.  This  should 
be  partly  underground,  so  as  to  be  as  cool  as  po'-- 
sible,   for   a  half   dozen  lamps   burning  continuously 


176  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

generate  much  heat  and  make  the  room  very  warm, 
especially  when  the  outside  temperature  is  high.  Fig- 
ure 71  shows  a  good  type  of  incubator  cellar  used  by 
eastern  Massachusetts  poultrymen. 

Mixed  Eggs  in  an  Incubator — Better  results  will 
be  obtained  by  hatching  the  eggs  of  each  breed  sep- 
arately, for  this  reason:    Leghorn  eggs,  for  instance, 


FIG.    71 MODERN    INCUBATOR    CELLAR 

hatch  rather  more  promptly,  perhaps  half  a  day  earlier 
than  Wyandotte  or  Plymouth  Rock  eggs,  and  the 
changed  conditions  within  the  egg  chamber  of  the 
Leghorn  chicks  being  there,  would  be  a  handicap  for 
the  Wyandotte  and  Plymouth  Rock  eggs.  The  same 
would  apply  to  putting  Brahma  or  Cochin  eggs  in  an 
incubator  with  Wyandottes  or  Plymouth  Rocks.    We 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  177 

have  done  that,  putting  the  Brahma  eggs  in  half  a 
day  earher,  so  as  to  give  them  that  much  handicap, 
with  fairly  good  results;  and  it  is  probable  that  if 
you  put  the  Leghorn  tgg  into  the  machine  half  a  day 
later  than  you  do  the  Wyandottes  and  Plymouth 
Rocks,  the  conditions  would  be  more  equable.  Still, 
as  a  rule,  it  would  be  better  to  hatch  Leghorn  eggs 
by  themselves. 

Some  Advantages  of  Incubators — By  using  an 
incubator  chickens  can  be  hatched  earlier  in  the  sea- 
son. By  having  early  hatched  chickens  much  better 
prices  can  be  obtained,  and  the  chickens  mature  ear- 
lier in  the  fall  and  will  commence  laying  before  winter 
sets  in,  and  if  properly  cared  for  a  large  number  of 
winter  eggs  can  be  obtained.  By  using  an  incubator 
hens  can  be  stopped  from  sitting  and  can  commence 
laying  again.  A  much  larger  number  of  chickens  can 
be  raised  on  a  small  lot.  An  incubator  is  time  saving. 
It  requires  fourteen  to  sixteen  large  hens  to  cover 
200  eggs,  and  to  look  after  these  hens  properly  will 
require  three  times  as  much  time  as  a  200-egg  incuba- 
tor will  require.  It  will  take  eight  gallons  oil  to  the 
hatch  with  a  200-egg  incubator,  which,  at  fifteen  cents 
per  gallon,  will  amount  to  $1.20.  It  will  take  half 
a  pint  of  corn  per  day  to  properly  feed  a  sitting  hen. 
For  sixteen  hens,  four  quarts  per  day  would  be 
required  and  for  twenty-one  days  it  would  amount  to 
eighty-four  quarts.  With  corn  at  sixty-four  cents  per 
bushel  (two  cents  per  quart),  the  cost  of  feeding  six- 
teen hens  for  twenty-one  days  would  amount  to  $1.68. 
It  costs  less  to  heat  the  incubator  than  to  feed  the 
hens.  By  having  the  incubator  thoroughly  disinfected 
before  the  eggs  are  put  in,  we  avoid  the  worry  and 
trouble  of  lice  and  mites. — [O.  M.  Watson,  South 
Carolina. 


178  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

It  takes  hens'  eggs  twenty-one  days  to  hatch, 
guineas'  and  ducks'  twenty-eight  days,  geese  and  tur- 
keys' twenty-nine  to  thirty  days. 

Why  Incubator  Chicks  Die — At  the  Rhode  Island 
experiment  station,  careful  investigation  has  been 
made  of  the  cause  of  death  of  young  incubator  chick- 
ens; It  was  alleged  that  about  one-third  of  the  chicks 
had  been  more  or  less  injured  by  uneven  heat  during 
incubation.  Another  common  cause  of  trouble  was 
in  overcrowding  of  brooders,  resulting  in  death  by 
suffocation,  trampling,  etc.  Tuberculosis  was  found  to 
be  very  prevalent  and  fifteen  per  cent  of  the  chickens 
were  more  or  less  affected.  For  guarding  against 
this  disease,  it  is  recommended  to  give  the  interior 
of  the  brooders  all  the  sun  and  air  possible  on  pleas- 
ant days.  Bowel  troubles  were  a  common  cause  of 
death.  Lack  of  animal  food  sometimes  causes  dis- 
eases of  the  liver  and  gall  bladder. 

The  Incubator  a  Necessity — For  the  farmer's 
wife,  a  large  incubator  is,  or  at  least  should  be  a 
necessity,  if  she  is  living  up  to  her  opportunity  in  the 
chicken  business  for  profit.  From  200  to  400-egg 
capacity  is  the  kind  she  needs.  Sometimes,  especially 
early  in  the  year,  it  is  difficult  to  get  enough  fresh 
eggs  to  fill  one  of  the  larger  size,  but  with  us  very 
few  incubators  are  put  to  work,  until  eggs  are  getting 
plentiful,  as  well  as  cheap.  This  lets  you  in  on  the 
early  market  if  you  have  good  luck  with  your  early 
hatchings. — [Ida  Shepler,  Indiana. 

The  best  grade  of  kerosene  should  be  used  in  both 
incubators  and  brooders,  for  a  poor  grade  clogs  the 
lamp  and  causes  trouble.  Between  hatches  the  lamp 
should  be  taken  apart,  the  burner  boiled  out  and  a 
clean  wick  put  in.  If  the  lamp  gives  too  much  heat 
toward  the  end  of  the  hatch,  instead  of  turning  it 
down  very  low  trim  the  wick  to  a  sharp  point. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  1 79 

FEEDING  INCUBATOR  CHICKS 

It  is  not  so  much  what  the  food  is  as  how  the 
food  is  suppHed,  providing  there  are  plenty  of  starchy, 
albuminous  and  green  matters,  are  the  conclusions 
reached  by  Dr.  Cooper  Curtice  of  the  Rhode  Island 
experiment  station  in  raising  incubator  chicks.  In 
the  fourteenth  annual  report  of  this  station  he  says 
that  in  nature  small  seeds,  insects  and  grass  furnish 
food  for  chicks.  These  are  abundant  in  the  spring 
and  summer  months  and  it  is  at  this  time  that  the 
chicks  thrive.  To  secure  the  best  results  foods  simu- 
lating both  the  composition  and  mechanical  character 
of  these  should  be  supplied.  For  green  stuff  to  be 
easily  assimilable,  some  plant  should  be  supplied  which 
may  also  be  easily  broken.  We  have  found  hanging  a 
head  of  lettuce  in  the  brooder  by  a  string  to  exactly 
furnish  the  desired  want  and  be  greedily,  even  crazily, 
eaten  by  the  chickens.  Millet  seeds,  broken  rice,  rolled 
oats  and  other  things  of  this  character  were  greedily 
eaten  and  well  digested. 

For  meat  for  the  youngest  chickens,  we  have 
given  the  sterile  eggs  boiled  hard  and  ground  through 
a  sausage  machine.  While  it  is  preferable,  if  one  has 
time,  to  chop  the  egg  fine  and  mix  it  with  bran,  or  even 
feed  it  a  little  at  a  time  to  the  chickens,  we  found  it 
satisfactory  to  mix  it  with  the  bran  until  it  was 
crumbly  and  feed  it  in  bulk ;  a  sufficient  quantity  being 
given  for  the  number  of  chickens  in  the  brooder. 
Mixing  the  eggs  with  cracker  did  not  succeed  with  us 
as  well  for  very  young  chicks,  although  it  is  fed  by 
others  apparently  without  harm.  As  the  chickens 
grew  older  meat  scraps  were  substituted.  These  were 
usually  sifted,  added  to  the  grain  ration,  and  strewn 
upon  the  floor  of  the  brooder.  Boiled  liver  and  animil 
meal  was  also  used,  but  there  was  very  little  difference 


l8o  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

in  the  gain  of  the  different  chickens  when  fed  upon 
the  animal  meal,  meat  scraps  or  egg. 

One  mixture  of  seeds  was  made  as  follows :  For 
chicks  from  one  day  to  six  weeks  old,  mix  four  parts 
cracked  corn,  one  of  fine  cracked  wheat,  two  of  rolled 
oats,  one-half  of  millet  seed,  one-half  of  broken  rice, 
and  two  of  fine  scraps.  For  the  first  two  weeks  we 
have  added  one  pint  of  millet  seed,  leaving  out  scraps 
during  the  first  week.  Boiled  eggs,  three  for  each  fifty 
chicks  have  also  been  fed.  After  six  weeks,  and  up  to 
ten  weeks,  feed  the  following  mixture:  Four  parts 
cracked  corn,  two  of  cracked  wheat,  one  of  rolled  oats, 
one-half  of  millet,  one-half  of  broken  rice,  one  of 
grit,  and  two  of  scraps. 

For  chicks  kept  in  the  colony  system  give  for 
grain  three  parts  wheat  and  four  of  cracked  corn. 
Also  give  the  following  mash  three  times  per  week, 
and  daily  after  ten  weeks :  One  part  ground  corn,  one 
of  ground  oats  and  one  of  brown  shorts.  To  feed  the 
meat  scraps  we  made  the  seed-feed  into  a  mash  with 
boiling  water,  mixed  the  scraps  with  it  and  covered  the 
mash  until  it  was  well  steamed.  This  mash  seems  to 
hasten  the  growth  of  the  chicks.  While  it  seemed 
necessary  to  feed  the  youngest  chicks  rather  oftener, 
those  ten  days  old  were  fed  mash  in  the  morning, 
green  food  at  noon  and  dry  seeds  at  night,  allowing 
them  to  fill  their  crops.  When  fed  oftener  they 
seemed  to  get  satiated  and  had  no  desire  to  eat. 

For  the  first  day  or  two  after  the  chick  has 
emerged,  little  food  seems  to  be  necessary  and  little  is 
offered  by  us.  We,  however,  place  the  young  chick 
directly  on  either  sand  filled  with  rather  coarse  grit,  or 
procure  grit  of  the  proper  size  and  allow  it  to  eat  what 
it  will.  That  which  is  bright  and  attractive  to  the 
ehick's  eye,  like  quartz  grains,  seems  to  be  best.     Very 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  l8l 

l)lack  grit  does  not  seem  to  be  eaten  when  any  of  the 
brighter  sorts  are  near  at  hand. 

THE   BROODER 

A  good  brooder  is  an  indispensable  adjunct  to  the 
poultry  yard.  The  only  conditions  necessary  in  man- 
aging a  brooder  are  to  keep  it  clean  and  not  overheated 
or  overcrowded.  Brooders  are  now  made  (some  at 
least)  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  overheat  them,  per- 
fectly arranged  mechanism  allowing  the  surplus  heat 
to  pass  off.  The  lOO-chick  individual  brooders  are 
large  enough  for  all  purposes.  But  seventy-five  chicks 
are  enough  for  any  machine,  after  they  get  to  be  a 
month  old,  and  fifty  do  better.  If  more  chicks  are 
wanted  get  more  brooders.  In  fact,  it  is  economy  to 
have  an  extra  brooder  or  two  to  divide  up  the  chicks 
and  put  them  in  as  they  grow  and  the  brooder  become.? 
crowded.  Don't  crowd.  Let  this  be  impressed  all  the 
time  on  your  mind.  Don't  crowd.  Let  the  chicks 
have  plenty  of  room,  and  they  will  do  better  in  every 
way  than  with  the  hen.  At  two  months  old  the  chicks 
may  be  put  in  small  houses  and  so  make  room  for  the 
smaller  chicks.  But  I  have  kept  chicks  in  the  brooder 
until  they  voluntarily  left  the  brooder  for  the  roost. 

The  brooder  should  be  cleaned  every  day.  Put 
dry,  fine  sand  on  the  floor,  and  then,  with  a  small 
broom,  sweep  the  droppings  out  into  a  box  or  bucket, 
to  be  deposited  on  the  pile  intended  for  garden 
manure.  The  sand  need  not  be  renewed  oftener  than 
once  or  twice  a  week,  according  to  its  quantity  and 
condition.  I  have  seen  brooders  in  which  the  chicks 
perished  by  being  overheated  and  then  chilled.  Ovet' 
heating  is  common,  and  is  the  cause  of  the  great  mor 
tality  in  chicks.  Overcrowding  is  associated  wiff. 
overheating,  but  it  comes  from  the  chicks  being  so  coo) 


l82  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

that  they  crowd  against  one  another  to  get  warm. 
Brooders  require  little  attention.  I  would  rather  man- 
age half  a  dozen  than  one  hen  with  chicks.  And  they 
pay  for  themselves  over  and  over  every  year  if  rightly 
managed.  Get  a  brooder,  or  several  brooders.  They 
are  as  handy  as  a  clock  to  have  about  the  house.  It 
makes  no  difference  whether  the  brooder  is  heated 
with  hot  air  or  hot  water  so  that  heat  can  be  con- 
trolled and  the  brooder  not  overheated  which  is  the 
cause  of  bowel  trouble  in  chicks. 

I  prefer  the  brooder  to  hens  for  raising  chicks. 
It  is  easier  to  care  for  200  or  300  brooder  chicks  than 
for  half  a  dozen  hens  with  chicks.  Brooder  chicks 
have  no  lice  on  them,  are  not  troubled  with  mites,  are 
protected  from  storms,  are  not  killed  by  the  feet  of  the 
hen,  grow  fast,  thrive  well,  are  more  gentle,  and  bear 
handling  when  grown  better  than  hen  raised  chicks. 
They  are  always  under  your  control  and  watchful  care, 
and  with  right  treatment  you  will  raise  more  brooder 
chicks  on  the  average  than  hens  will  raise. —  [J.  H. 
Davis,  Ohio. 

Brooder  Capacity — Judging  by  my  own  expe- 
rience in  visiting  a  great  many  farms  where  brooders 
are  used,  I  should  not  hesitate  to  say  that  the  one 
great  mistake  of  the  amateur  poultryman  is  over- 
crowding. It  certainly  will  produce  almost  any  or  all 
of  the  many  ailments  so  common  in  newly  hatched 
chicks,  and  I  do  wish  that  something  more  could  be 
done  to  impress  it  upon  the  beginner  that  one  brooder 
and  a  600-egg  incubator  is  a  bad  combination. 
Another  fault  I  find  to  be  very  common  is  trying  to 
save  oil  by  keeping  the  brooder  closed  when  it  should 
be  open.  Particularly  is  that  true  with  the  outdoor 
brooder,  for  which,  for  various  reasons,  I  have  little  or 
no  use.  Give  the  chicks  plenty  of  heat  and  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  away  from  it  if  they  want  *o.  Dure  air» 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  183 

and  plenty  of  it,  a  dry  floor  with  half  an  inch  of  Htter, 
and  plenty  of  floor  space,  and  not  until  you  have  done 
at  least  these  things  ought  you  to  complain  about  mor- 
tality among  the  chickens.  If  my  experience  in  rais- 
ing several  thousand  broilers  annually  counts  for  any- 
thing, forty,  or  at  most  fifty  chicks  are  enough  for 
any  brooder,  and  my  advice  to  one  about  to  purchase 
an  incubator  is  to  buy  one  brooder  for  every  fifty 
chicks  he  expects  to  take  out  of  that  machine  for  the 
first  three  or  four  times  he  sets  it.  That  is,  for  one 
360-egg  machine  run  all  through  the  spring  I  would 
plan  for  ten  or  twelve  brooders,  and  I  believe  I  would 
raise  enough  more  chicks  to  pay  for  them. —  [Francis 
E.  Pearson,  Lincoln  County,  Me. 

HANDLING  BROODER   CHICKS 

The  mortality  among  brooders  chicks  is  due  to  the 
influences  of  heredity  and  the  conditions  of  environ- 
ment during  incubation,  mechanical  causes,  imperfect 
sanitation  and  imperfect  feeding.  Special  emphasis 
needs  to  be  placed  upon  the  feeding.  Experiments 
with  brooder  chicks  by  the  Rhode  Island  experiment 
^tation  showed  at  the  end  of  thirty  days  a  loss  by  death 
of  63.7  per  cent  in  a  lot  fed  on  egg,  liver  and  green 
stufl^,  chiefly  from  digestive  troubles  resulting  in 
diarrhea.  Another  lot  fed  on  grains  alone,  showed  a 
mortality  of  32.7  per  cent,  mainly  from  digestive 
troubles,  strongly  indicated  by  abnormal  enlargement 
of  the  gall  bladder.  A  lot  fed  on  grain  and  green  stuff 
suffered  a  mortality  of  9.5  per  cent,  while  a  lot  fed  a 
complete  balanced  ration  of  egg,  meat,  grain  and 
green  stuff  had  a  death  list  of  only  3.5  per  cent.  By 
using  a  proper  amount  of  animal  food  with  the  grain 
food,  and  supplying  the  necessary  green  food,  a  large 
proportion  of  the  untimely  deaths  may  evidently  be 


1 84 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


prevented,  provided  that  the  other  factors  are  properly 
regulated. 

The  extreme  variations  of  northern  weather 
make  it  desirable  that  there  be  provided  four  degrees 
of  protection  or  comfort  for  brooder  chicks:  (i)  An 
inviting,  properly  ventilated  hover,  kept  continuously, 
uniformly  and  sufficiently  warm,  to  which  the  chicks 
may  at  any  time  resort  as  they  would  to  the  mother 
hen  and  warm  up  quickly.  (2)  A  ventilated  and 
lighted  brooder  or  apartment  warm  enough  to  protect 
the  chicks  from  chilling  on  raw,  windy  days  and  suffi- 
ciently attractive  to  tempt  them  from  the  hover  as 


C 


□ □o^ana 


zr 


a 


T 


FIG.   72 PLAN    OF   SIMPLE   BROODER   HOUSE 


much  as  possible.  (3)  A  run  protected  from  winds 
and  storms  by  being  inclosed  within  a  brooder  house, 
or,  if  outside,  covered  with  hotbed  sash.  (4)  An  out- 
side yard  available  in  pleasant  weather,  into  which 
even  the  youngest  chicks  should  be  tempted  by  litter, 
grain,  green  food  and  scraps  whenever  the  sun  shines 
or  the  winds  are  not  too  severe.  In  some  way  the 
chicks  must  be  provided  with  a  sure  refuge  where 
they  will  be  comfortable  whatever  the  weather.  Then 
they  should  by  every  means  possible  be  induced  to 
keep  out  in  the  fresh  air  and  to  take  exercise  as  they 
would  with  the  mother  hen  in  pleasant  spring  weather. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


185 


Before  putting  in  the  chicks  heat  the  brooder  to 
ninety-five  degrees  and  keep  at  that  temperature  for 
several  days.  Then  gradually  lower  it  three  degrees  a 
week.  A  degree  variation  from  eighty-five  to  ninety- 
five  degrees  at  times,  will  not  hurt  the  chicks.  Grad- 
ually lower  the  temperature  until  the  chicks  are  able 
to  do  without  artificial  heat.  In  cold  weather  this  will 
be  at  from  five  to  eight  weeks ;  in  warm  weather  they 
will  need  no  artificial  heat  after  the  third  week. 


FIG.  'J'i^ — A  BROODER  HOUSE  FOR  FARMERS 


The  brooder  needs  much  the  same  attention  as  the 
incubator  and  if  located  out  of  doors  it  wants  even 
more.  During  bright  days  the  sun  will  furnish  much 
or  all  the  heat  required,  but  as  it  goes  down  at  night 
or  is  obscured  by  clouds,  the  lamp  must  be  turned  up. 
Failure  to  maintain  a  fairly  even  temperature  in  the 
brooder  causes  more  loss  of  artificial  chicks  than  any- 
thing else.     The  youngsters  chill  easily  and  quickly  it*. 


i86 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


early  spring  and  must  have  some  place  where  they  can 
warm  up  quickly  or  they  will  contract  bowel  trouble 
and  then  the  end  is  near.  A  more  uniform  heat  can 
be  maintained  if  the  brooder  is  located  in  a  shed  or 
building  protected  from  sun  and  wind.  For  this  rea- 
son it  pays  to  put  up  a  brooder  house,  and  in  building 
it  one  should  make  it  warm,  and  substantial  so  as  to 


ijinm 


FIG.   74 SECTIONAL  HOT  WATER  BROODER 

be  easily  heated  in  late  winter,  when  one  wants  to  get 
out  an  early  hatch. 

BROODER  HOUSES 

There  are  several  styles  of  brooder  houses  which 
may  be  used.  The  long,  continuous  house,  heated  by 
hot  water,  is  useful  on  large  chicken  ranches  where 
hundreds  or  thousands  are  raised  annually,  but  smaller 
houses  in  which  can  be  placed  individual  brooders  are 
best  for  most  poultry  keepers. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


187 


A  brooder  set  out  of  doors  is  all  right  in  summer 
but  it  is  no  place  to  put  a  lot  of  chickens  in  during  the 
changeable  weather  of  early  spring.  It  will  pay  to 
have  a  cheap  house  in  which  to  put  the  brooders  or  a 
shed  that  can  be  closed  in  during  stormy  weather. 
The  advantage  of  a  small  house  is  that  the  brooder 
can  be  kept  at  a  more  uniform  temperature,  but  even 
more  than  this  it  provides  a  place  of  exercise  for  the 
chickens  during  long  continuous  storms  which  fre- 
quently last  two  or  three  days  in  early  spring. 

A  continuous  house  should  be  twelve  to  fourteen 
feet  wide  and  of  any  length  desired.     It  should  have 


FIG.  75 SIDEHILL  BROODER  HOUSE 


an  alleyway  three  feet  wide  and  six  and  one-half  feet 
high  at  the  back  for  convenience  in  doing  the  work. 
This  house  may  be  fitted  up  with  a  hot  water  system 
of  brooders,  or  individual  brooders  can  be  used.  For 
raising  early  broilers  it  is  necessary  that  the  house  be 
heated  artificially.  A  small  hot  water  boiler  and  a  coil 
of  pipe  going  around  the  building  inside  the  outer  wall 
is  necessary.  If  the  passageway  is  lowered  twelve 
to  fifteen  inches  it  will  make  less  back-bending  work 
to  care  for  the  brooders,  particularly  if  individual 
brooders  are  used.  The  long  slope  of  the  roof  should 
be  toward  the  front.  Such  a  house  is  shown  in  Figure 
y2y  which  gives  the  dimensions  and  suggests  details. 


1 88 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


This  is  designed  for  individual  brooders,  but  the 
pipe  system  can  be  used.  After  the  chicks  are  old 
enough  the  brooders  can  be  removed,  a  board  fitted  in 
the  partition  and  a  movable  platform  and  roost  placed 
in  each  pen.  Such  a  house  will  be  very  handy  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  Another  style  of  house  is  shown 
m  Figure  y^,  which  is  twelve  by  sixteen  feet  in  size, 


FIG.       ^6 ONE      OF     THE      AUTHOR^S      COLONY-BROODER 

HOUSES. 


papered  and  shingled  all  around.  This  will  hold  five 
brooders  with  fifty  chicks  in  each  brooder  and  allow 
a  pen  three  feet  wide  for  each.  Small  holes  are  cut  in 
each  pen  and  yards  thirty  feet  long  built  in  front.  A 
sectional  hot  water  brooder  shown  in  Figure  74  may  be 
used  to  advantage  in  such  a  house.  Still  another  style 
of  house  is  shown  in  Figure  75. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


189 


Individual  brooder  houses  which  later  in  the  sea- 
son can  be  used  as  colony  houses  pay  well.  They  can 
be  built  of  any  style  desired.  Several  good  ones  are 
shown  in  Figures  yG,  yy,  y^  and  79.  These  houses 
should  be  not  less  than  four  feet  high  at  the  rear,  five 
feet  in  front  and  five  by  seven  feet  in  size.  A  house  six 
by  eight  feet  is  much  more  convenient  than  one  five  by 
seven  feet  and  costs  but  Httle  more.     They  should  be 


FIG.  yy INEXPENSIVE  COLONY-BROODER   HOUSE 

built  of  planed  and  matched  lumber  well  put  together, 
and  for  use  in  early  spring  covered  with  building  or 
roofing  paper  on  top  and  sides  to  give  greater  protec- 
tion. After  the  chicks  are  big  enough  remove  the 
brooder  and  place  in  the  house  two  or  three  roosts. 
Such  a  house  will  accommodate  fifty  chickens  until 
time  to  remove  the  cockerels.  The  windows  should  be 
taken  out  and  replaced  with  wire  covered  screens. 


1 90 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


191 


A  Piano  Box  House — Piano  boxes  make  very 
cheap  and  useful  houses  for  many  purposes.  We  have 
used  them  successfully  in  early  spring  to  hold  a 
brooder.  There  is  space  enough  to  give  plenty  of 
room  for  the  young  chicks  to  exercise.  Later  the 
brooder  is  taken  out  and  the  house  affords  ample  room 
for  fifty  to  100  young  chicks.  In  winter  it  will  hold 
ten  or  twelve  hens.  They  also  make  good  breeding 
houses  in  which  to  confine  small  pens  of  special  mat- 


FIG.  79 — ^A  RHODE  ISLAND  COLONY-BROODER  HOUSE 


ings.  We  wintered  thirty  fowls  one  winter  in  one  of 
these  houses  but  they  had  the  run  of  a  large  shed  and 
never  did  a  flock  lay  better  than  this.  Two  boxes  of 
the  same  size  should  be  procured.  Remove  the  top 
and  backs.  Set  them  on  two  poles  or  scantlings  back 
to  back  and  about  twenty-two  inches  apart  which  is 
the  width  at  the  top.  Put  down  one  top  to  fill  out  the 
floor  and  use  the  other  to  close  up  one  space  between 
the  ends.    Take  the  backs  to  pieces  and  rip  one  board 


192  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

diagonally  corner  to  corner  so  as  to  give  the  necessary 
slant  to  the  roof.  The  boards  which  come  from  the 
two  backs  will  cover  the  roof  and  make  the  door.  The 
roof,  or  better  still  the  whole  building,  can  then  be  cov- 
ered with  a  good  building  or  roofing  paper.  One  win- 
dow of  most  any  size  can  be  placed  in  the  front  or  if 
one  wishes,  at  each  side  of  the  door  wherever  it  is 
most  convenient.  These  houses  complete  will  cost  $5, 
the  price  depending  on  what  one  has  to  pay  for  the 


FIG.    80 — BUILT    OF    TWO    PIANO    BOXES 

boxes.  We  have  two  houses  of  this  type  in  use  illus- 
trated in  Figure  80,  but  some  poultrymen  use  them 
exclusively. 

Another  type  of  colony-brooder  house  is  shown 
in  Figure  81  with  wire  covered  yard  attached.  This 
house  is  put  on  sills  of  two  by  twelve-inch  plank  which 
are  cut  on  a  bevel  at  one  end  to  serve  as  runners.  Ele- 
vating  the   floor   makes    it   easier   to   look   after   the 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


193 


brooder  and  care  for  the  young  chicks.  This  also  pro- 
vides a  shady  place  for  the  chicks  to  run  under  as  they 
grow  older.  There  is  no  door  to  this  house,  but  the 
roof  is  made  in  two  parts  and  hinged  at  the  sides  so 
that  it  can  be  opened,  thus  exposing  the  inside.  The 
house  is  two  feet  high  at  the  rear  and  three  feet  in 
front  above  the  sill,  four  feet  wide  and  six  feet  long. 
The  yard  attached  can  be  of  any  size  desired  and  cov- 
ered with  either  one  or  two-inch  mesh  netting.  This 
house  is  also  very  useful  for  special  matings.  If 
cleaned  daily  and  moved  to  fresh  ground  once  or  twice 


FIG.    81 AN    INDIANA    COLONY-BROODER    HOUSE. 


a  week  twelve  fowls  can  be  kept  in  it  with  a  yard  six 
by  twelve  feet  in  size. 

A  Gasoline-Heated  Colony-Brooder  House — Lat- 
est developments  in  artificial  brooding  are  to  get  away 
from  the  small  individual  indoor  and  outdoor  brooders 
and  to  adopt  a  system  that  will  hover  more  chicks 
at  a  less  expense  of  fuel  and  labor.  A  system  of  using 
gasoline  for  heating  a  brooder  is  being  successfully 
used  by  the  Poultry  Husbandry  department  of  Cornell 
University.  It  has  been  devised  by  Prof.  James  E. 
Rice  and  associates.  By  his  method  of  rearing  chick- 
ens in  large  flocks  in  colony  houses  heated  with  gaso- 
line from  1700  to  2000  chickens  have  been  reared  each 


194 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION  I95 

year  for  the  past  five  years  in  thirteen  colony  houses 
(Figure  82)  which  formerly  would  have  required 
about  fifty  ordinary  kerosene-heated  brooders.  In 
experiments  conducted  by  Prof.  Rice  it  was  found  that 
in  large  colony-brooder  houses  with  a  large  hover, 
where  the  temperature  was  kept  at  lOO  degrees,  lOO 
chicks  could  be  brooded  as  successfully  as  fifty  in  a 
flock,  and  continued  experiments  show  that  200  could 
be  handled  with  practically  the  same  labor  and  no 
more  loss. 

The  secret  of  brooding  in  large  flocks,  If  there  is 
any,  is  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  100  degrees  at  all 
times  accessible  to  the  chickens.  The  larger  the  flock 
the  more  important  it  is  that  a  high  temperature  be 
maintained,  because  the  greater  is  the  danger  of 
crowding.  If  the  temperature  of  100  degrees  is  main- 
tained, the  chickens  will  spread  out  of  their  own 
accord.  They  can  be  trusted  to  remain  in  the  temper- 
ature which  is  most  comfortable  to  them,  which  also 
will  be  the  temperature  best  suited  to  their  needs. 
This  heat  cannot,  with  safety,  be  so  well  maintained 
with  a  kerosene  burner,  but  with  a  blue  flame  gasoline 
burner  and  a  brooder  properly  constructed,  there  is 
little  or  no  danger  of  fire. 

A  five-gallon  can  is  suspended  inside  the  house  at 
the  top  and  filled  as  needed  with  gasoline.  A  pipe 
leads  this  to  the  burner  arranged  beneath  the  hover 
where  a  constant  flame  is  maintained.  The  flame  can 
be  regulated  at  the  will  of  the  operator. 

The  ''A"  type  of  house  (Figures  83  and  84)  is 
eight  feet  square,  inside  floor  measure,  has  twelve-inch 
side  walls  and  is  six  feet,  six  inches  from  top  of  floor 
to  top  of  ridge  board.  The  sub  framing  Is  made  and 
both  floors  laid  before  the  upper  part  of  the  building  is 
put  together.  The  sills  are  gotten  out  first.  They  are 
made  of  two  by  twelve-Inch  stock  and  are  cut  eight 


196 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


feet  long  with  a  bevel  at  each  end  to  form  runners  or 
shoes  upon  which  to  draw  the  house  about  when 
desired.  The  floor  joists,  four  in  number,  are  made  of 
two  by  four-inch  stock,  cut  eight  feet  long,  and  are 
fitted  into  the  runners  with  a  half  joint.  This  gives 
a  strong  sub  frame  that  is  not  likely  to  get  out  of 
square  when  drawn  over  uneven  ground.  After  fit- 
ting the  joists  into  the  runners  and  securely  nailing 


FIG.    83 — CORNELL   CQLQNY-BRGQDER   HOUSE. 


with  2od  nails,  the  work  is  leveled,  squared,  and  tied 
by  means  of  a  one-inch  board  nailed  diagonally  across 
the  joists.  The  first  or  sub  floor  is  made  of  one-inch 
matched  hemlock  siding  and  is  laid  diagonally,  which 
helps  to  stiffen  the  building.  The  finished  floor  is 
made  of  seven-eighths-inch  sap  (white)  pine  flooring. 
This  is  blind  nailed  and  is  laid  over  a  layer  of  build- 
ing paper. 


ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION 


197 


The  studs  are  now  put  up  (Figure  84).  These, 
together  with  the  plates,  rafters  and  ridge-board,  are 
made  of  seven-eighths  by  two  and  three-quarters-inch 
clear  hemlock  stock.  The  studs  are  placed  flush  with 
the  outer  edge  of  the  floor  and  are  toe-nailed  to  the 
plates.  These  are  held  in  place  temporarily  by  nailing  a 
strip  of  board  diagonally  across  them.  The  front  and 
rear  studs  are  fitted  in  place  and  then  the  boarding 


FIG  84 FRAME  OF  CORNELL   COLONY-BROODER  HOUSE 

put  on.    The  boards  are  put  on  horizontally  and  over- 
lap the  floor  two  inches. 

The  building  is  inclosed  with  seven-eighths-inch 
matched  siding,  planed  one  side,  with  the  smooth  side 
turned  in.  The  boards  for  sides  and  roof  are  cut  in 
eight-foot  lengths,  and  since  the  house  is  to  be  eight 
feet  square  inside,  a  small  space  is  left  at  each  corner 
which  is  filled  by  a  quarter  round  molding,  thus  mak- 
ing it  possible  to  use  sixteen-foot  stock  without  waste. 


198 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


The  ends  are  boarded  up  solid,  with  the  exception  of 
the  door  opening.  After  the  paper  has  been  put  on, 
the  casings  for  the  windows  are  nailed  in  place  and 
then  the  openings  cut.  By  this  method  of  construc- 
tion no  studs  are  required  for  the  windows. 

Best  results  have  been  secured  by  running  the 
strips  of  roofing  paper  vertically,  instead  of  horizon- 
tally, as  is  generally  recommended.  The  laps  are 
made  to  come  over  the  rafters  and  are  covered  with 
a  three-quarter  by  two-inch  batten.  It  requires  much 
less  time  to  put  the  paper  on  in  this  way  and  it  pre- 
sents a  more  pleasing  appearance.     After  the  house  is 


FIG.    85 DR.    woods'   brooder 


enclosed  and  doors  and  windows  fitted  and  hung,  the 
heater  is  put  in  place. 

The  burner  used  is  the  Dangler  Furnace  and  Lab- 
oratory Lamp  burner  No.  154.  The  Omaha  burner  has 
also  been  used  successfully,  also  the  Menges  burner. 
This  type  of  house  complete  with  brooder,  burner,  etc., 
has  cost  in  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  $37.50. 

Much  experimenting  has  been  done  in  the  way  of 
homemade  brooders,  some  of  whch  are  both  econom- 
ical and  successful.  Most  poultry  keepers  think  that 
manufactured  brooders  cost  too  much,  hence  they  do 
not  procure  enough  brooders  to  properly  accommodate 


ARTIFICIAL   INCUBATION  1 99 

the  chicks  and  severe  losses  are  therefore  sustained 
from  overcrowding.  Several  good  brooders  are  here 
described. 

The  Up-to-Date  Brooder — A  good  homemade 
brooder  that  is  up  to  date  and  can  be  depended  on  to 
raise  a  good  percentage  of  the  chicks  intrusted  to  it 
when  rightly  managed  is  illustrated  in  Figure  85, 
and  was  described  in  Farm  Poultry  by  Dr.  Woods. 
It  has  stood  the  test  of  several  seasons  under  varying 
conditions,  and  has  successfully  reared  ninety  per  cent 
of  the  chicks  placed  in  it.  It  is  an  economical  brooder 
to  build,  and  the  cost  for  material,  where  all  new  stuff 
is  used,  need  not  exceed  $5  (this  including  lamp). 
By  utilizing  waste  stock  it  can  be  made  for  less  than 
$3  (labor  not  included). 

The  brooder  is  made  three  feet  wide  from  front  to 
back,  and  three  and  one-half  feet  long  from  side  to 
side.  A  general  perspective  view  of  the  brooder  com- 
plete is  shown  in  Figure  85  with  the  smaller  section  of 
the  movable  roof  removed  and  the  loose  board  used  for 
lamp  door  partly  open.  The  front  view  shows  how  the 
windows  are  arranged  and  the  door,  w,  by  which  the 
chicks  enter  and  leave  the  brooder;  an  opening  is  left 
for  inlet  of  fresh  air  into  hot  air  chamber;  there  are 
two  of  these  openings,  one  opposite  the  other.  These 
openings  may  be  made  in  the  sides  if  more  convenient. 
They  are  one  and  one-half  inches  wide,  and  the  depth 
of  the  board  which  separates  the  iron  floor  of  the 
hot  air  chamber  from  the  floor  of  the  brooding  cham- 
ber. In  cold  weather  it  will  prove  economy  in  oil  and 
heat  to  partially  close  one  of  these  openings.  The 
sectional  view  shows  the  construction  of  the  brooder  in 
detail. 

The  lower  frame  for  the  lamp  chamber  is  built 
first,  and  is  made  of  sufficient  hight  to  accommodate 
your  lamp,  and  leave  a  space  of  nearly  an  inch  between 


200  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

the  top  of  your  chimney  (if  you  use  one),  and  the  iron 
floor  of  the  hot  air  chamber.  To  the  top  of  the  three 
sides  of  this  frame,  which  are  of  equal  hight,  is  nailed 
the  iron  floor  of  the  hot  air  chamber.  This  is  a  sheet 
of  galvanized  iron  thirty-six  by  forty-two  inches. 
Above  this  iron  floor  is  fastened  a  frame  of  strips  of 
board  two  inches  wide  to  form  the  outer  walls  of  the 
heat  chamber,  openings  being  left  for  the  inlets.  It  is 
nailed  fast  to  the  iron  in  the  back,  and  through  the 
iron  to  the  lower  frame  on  the  front  and  sides.  On 
this  frame  is  laid  the  floor  of  the  brooder  proper, 
which  is  made  of  matched  boards.  Before  the  floor  i^ 
made  fast  to  the  frame  a  circular  hole  must  be  made 
in  the  center  to  receive  the  iron  ring  which  conducts 
the  heat  into  the  brooding  chamber.  This  hole  in  the 
wooden  floor  is  nine  inches  in  diameter. 

The  front  and  sides  of  the  brooding  chamber  form 
a  movable  three-sided  frame,  firmed  together  at  the 
upper  portion  of  the  rear  third  by  a  strip  of  inch  stuff. 
In  the  front  section  of  this  frame  is  a  six  by  eight-inch 
window,  and  a  door,  zv.  The  door  is  hinged,  and 
fastens  with  a  button.  The  window  is  beveled  at  the 
the  "top  to  shed  rain,  and  is  screwed  to  the  frame.  A 
cheaper  and  homelier  way  would  be  to  set  two  lights 
of  glass  in  the  wood  of  the  frame. 

The  roof  is  made  m  two  pieces.  The  main  or  front 
section  is  removable,  and  is  held  in  place  by  cleats,  as 
shown  in  cut.  When  the  brooder  is  in  outdoor  use  this 
seccion  of  the  roof,  v,  is  secured  to  the  sides  of  the 
brooding  chamber  by  screws  through  the  side  cleats. 
The  chamber  sides  are  screwed  to  the  base  or  floor 
cleats.  A  window  ten  by  eighteen  inches  is  provided 
in  this  part  of  the  roof.  The  rear  section  of  the  roof  is 
a  movable  board  fitted  and  cleated  and  held  in  place  by 
the  cleats,  with  the  additional  security  of  a  hook  and 
screw  eye  on  either  end  to  keep  animals  from  breaking 


ARTIFICIAL   INCUBATION  201 

in  at  night.  This  small  movable  roof  section  is  a  great 
convenience.  At  the  upper  and  rear  third  of  the  sides 
of  the  brooding  chamber  is  a  ventilator,  r,  one  on  each 
side,  and  having  a  tin,  galvanized  iron  or  wood  shut- 
ter, as  shown.  The  ventilating  holes  are  two  and  one- 
half  inches  in  diameter. 

The  heat  conductor  is  a  galvanized  iron  ring  nine 
inches  in  diameter,  and  three  and  one-half  inches  high. 
This  is  fitted  into  the  hole  in  the  wood  floor  of  brooder, 
and  held  in  place  by  three  nails  driven  from  inner  side 
of  ring.  To  this  ring  is  attached  the  heat  spreader,  an 
inverted  cone  of  galvanized  iron,  hung  to  the  ring  by- 
three  strap  hooks  of  galvanized  iron.  This  heat 
spreader,  k,  is  kept  filled  with  chicken  grit  or  gravel, 
which  serves  to  hold  the  heat,  and  keep  the  tempera- 
ture more  uniform.  The  spreader  serves  to  diffuse  the 
warm  air  equally  on  all  sides  under  the  hover.  The 
ring  is  wound  with  a  triple  thickness  of  felt,  which 
entirely  covers  in  the  metal  parts,  and  does  not  con- 
duct a  sufficient  amount  of  heat  to  make  the  chicks 
crowd  around  the  heat  flue.  It  is  important  that  the 
iron  ring  be  wound  with  felt  or  some  insulating  mate- 
rial. 

The  hover  is  circular  and  is  twenty-eight  inches 
in  diameter.  It  is  made  of  matched  stuff,  and  has  no 
ventilating  hole,  as  none  is  needed.  A  hole  is  made  for 
the  thermometer,  and  three  holes  for  the  hover  legs; 
p  is  the  thermometer,  and  o  the  legs.  The  legs  (three 
in  number)  are  ordinary  broom  handle,  and  are  drilled 
so  as  to  be  adjustable  from  four  and  one-half  to  six 
and  one-half  inches  in  length,  the  hover  being  held  in 
place  by  nails  passed  through  the  drill  holes.  A  double 
thickness  of  slashed  felt  is  used  for  hover  curtains 
(any  kind  of  cloth  that  does  not  fray  easily  will 
answer).  These  flaps  come  down  to  within  half  an  inch 


202 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


of  the  floor  when  the  legs  are  at  the  four  and  one-half- 
inch  length. 

The  lamp  chamber  has  a  one  and  one-half-inch 
ventilating  hole  in  the  side  close  up  to  iron  near  the 
front  of  the  brooder.  The  lamp  I  have  had  the  best 
results  with,  and  the  least  trouble,  is  a  common  tin 
lamp  (made  from  a  tin  pan),  holding  three  pints  of  oil, 


FIG.    86 AN    IMPROVED  BROODER 


and  having  a  common  kitchen  lamp  burner  with  a  glass 
chimney  or  a  chimney  of  Russia  iron  (the  iron  chim- 
ney is  best),  having  an  isinglass  opening  in  front  to 
view  the  lamp  flame. 

An   improved  brooder   is   shown   in   Figures   86 
and  87.     Figure  86  shows  the  brooder  complete  with 


ARTIFICIAL   INCUBATION 


203 


cover  raised.  The  hover  is  shown  within  the  top.  The 
upper  dotted  line  shows  the  position  of  the  matched 
board  floor  and  the  lower  dotted  line  shows  the  posi- 
tion of  the  sheet  iron  beneath  which  the  lamp  stove  is 
placed.  Figure  87  shows  the  drum  of  sheet  iron,  or 
galvanized  iron,  which  is  attached  to  the  edge  of  a 
circular  opening  in  the  floor,  as  shown  at  the  right. 
This  cut  shows  the  floor,  the  sheet  iron  and  the  two- 
inch  space  between  them,  with  the  lamp  underneath 
the  sheet  iron.  The  air  above  the  sheet  iron  is  warmer 
and  rises  through  the  drum,  escaping  through  the 
small  openings  under  the  top,  out  into  the  brooder.    A 


FIG.  87 HEATER  PARTS  FOR  BROODER 


cloth  curtain  is  hung  around  the  edge  of  the  broad  top 
of  the  drum,  forming  a  hover,  into  which  the  chicks  go 
for  warmth.  This  curtain  is  "slashed"  up  every  few 
inches.  Openings  in  the  sides  of  the  brooder  admit 
air  to  the  lamp,  to  the  space  between  the  sheet  iron 
and  the  floor  above  and  also  ventilate  the  brooder 
chamber.  These  openings  from  the  brooder  chamber 
can  be  controlled  by  corks  in  very  cold  weather.  The 
brooder  can  be  made  any  size  up  to  three  by  four  feet, 
which  is  large  enough  for  seventy-five  chicks.  It  can 
be  heated  with  an  incubator  lamp  or  any  good  lamp 
with  No.  2  burner  and  large  oil  chamber. 


204  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

A  Good  Brooder — One  of  the  best  and  simplest 
homemade  brooders  (Figure  88)  we  ever  saw  is  used 
largely  by  G.  G,  Tillinghast  of  Connecticut,  a  success- 
ful poultry  keeper  and  fruit  grower.  It  costs  not  to 
exceed  $2.50,  if  made  of  all  new  material.  It  is  built 
of  matched  lumber  and  consists  of  a  frame  three  feet 
square  and  one  foot  high.     In  one  side  there  is  a  door 


FIG.  88 THE  TILLINGHAST  HOMEMADE  BROODER 

or  slide  in  which  to  place  the  lamp.  This  frame  is  cov- 
ered with  a  sheet  of  galvanized  iron  and  over  this 
around  the  edges  are  nailed  inch  furring  strips.  A 
hole  one-half  inch  high  and  one  inch  long  is  made 
through  the  ends  of  two  strips  on  opposite  sides  to 
provide  ventilation.  The  floor  is  nailed  on  these  fur- 
ring strips. 

In  the  center  of  the  floor  is  cut  a  four-inch  square 
hole  and  over  this  is  nailed  a  radiating  drum.  This 
drum  is  a  two-quart  tin  pan,  through  which  are 
punched  a  dozen  holes  with  a  big  nail  to  allow  the  heat 
to  escape  under  the  hovers.  The  hover  is  two  feet 
square  and  six  inches  high,  with  edges  lined  with  felt 
slashed  so  that  the  chicks  can  easily  get  under  it.  The 
felt  comes  to  within  one  inch  of  the  floor.  There  is 
no  cover  to  the  brooder.     A  frame  one  foot  high  and 


ARTIFICIAL   INCUBATION  205 

three  feet  square  is  placed  on  the  brooder  to  confine 
the  chicks  until  they  are  a  week  old,  when  some  sods 
are  thrown  up  against  one  side  to  make  an  incline  for 
them  to  go  up  and  down.  The  brooder  is,  of  course, 
kept  indoors. 

The  lamp  is  one  of  the  most  novel  features.  It  is 
made  of  a  two-quart  tin  pan  and  a  tin  pie  plate  soldered 
together.  Three  or  four  small  holes  are  punched  in 
the  pie  plate  to  allow  the  heat  and  gas  to  escape  from 
the  kerosene.  A  hole  is  cut  in  the  pie  plate  and  a  No.  2 
burner  soldered  in.  This  lamp  holds  oil  enough  to 
burn  two  or  three  days  without  filling.  In  very  cold 
weather  two  lamps  are  placed  under  the  brooder. 

A  Simple  Hot  Water  Brooder — Figure  89  shows 
a  simple  form  of  hot  water  brooder  to  be  used  without 
a  lamp,  the  galvanized  iron  tank  being  filled  with  hot 
water  night  and  morning.  The  cut  at  the  right  shows 
the  position  of  the  tank  behind  the  front  board,  the 
bottom  having  attached  to  it  a  double  row  of  slashed 
woolen  cloths,  under  which  the  chicks  can  run.  The 
tank  is  seen  to  set  back  from  this  board,  giving  a 
chance  for  a  packing  of  sawdust,  or  bran,  over  and  all 
around  the  tank.  The  chicks  huddle  beneath  the  tank, 
and  if  they  find  it  too  warm,  they  poke  their  heads  out 


FIG.  89 — HOT  WATER  BROODER  AND  TANK 

through  the  cloth,  or  come  wholly  out  into  the  outer, 
or  scratching,  room.  Keep  the  tank  hot  enough  so 
the  chicks  will  not  crowd  together  under  it,  but  will  be 
inclined  to  put  their  heads  out  through  the  cloth. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
Broilers,  Gapons  and  Roasters 

Broilers  are  young  chickens  under  three  pounds 
weight  that  are  quickly  grown  and  suitable  to  split  in 
halves  and  broil  over  an  open  fire.  In  the  South  such 
chickens  are  commonly  known  as  "fries."  They  are 
most  in  demand  during  May,  June  and  July,  but  there 
is  a  market  for  them  at  all  times.  The  raising  of 
broilers  has  become  a  business  in  which  large  capital 
is  invested,  and  single  farms  turn  out  thousands  every 
year.  It  is  a  business  which  can  be  carried  on  by  the 
housewife  with  a  few  hens  as  well  as  by  the  big  broiler 
plant.  The  requisites  are  early  hatched  chicks  that 
are  grown  rapidly  and  made  to  weigh  one  and  one-half 
to  two  and  one-half  pounds  each  at  ten  to  twelve 
weeks  old.  This  industry  requires  both  skill  and  cap- 
ital when  conducted  on  a  large  scale.  A  successful 
broiler  plant  should  be  run  in  connection  with  an  Qgg 
farm,  so  that  the  eggs  may  be  supplied  from  the  home 
yard.  It  is  difficult  to  get  a  good  hatch  in  winter  time 
from  purchased  eggs.  They  either  get  chilled  or  are 
infertile.  The  second  requisite  to  success  is  a  good 
incubator.  Hens  cannot  do  the  hatching  during  cold 
weather.  The  brooder  is  important  after  the  chickens 
have  been  hatched.  Success  in  growing  chickens  dur- 
ing the  confinement  of  the  winter  months  does  not  con- 
sist so  much  in  variety  and  quality  of  the  food  given 
as  the  manner  in  which  it  is  fed  and  the  amount  of 
heat  to  which  they  are  subjected  when  in  the  brooder. 
Of  course  chicks  will  always  grow  faster,  develop  bet- 
ter and  mature  sooner  when  the  food  is  adapted  to 
their  age,  growth  and  wants. 

20« 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  20/ 

The  American  breeds — ^Wyandottes,  Plymouth 
Rocks  and  Rhode  Island  Reds — are  commonly  used 
for  broilers ;  any  quickly-growing,  plump  bird  will  do. 
Leghorn  and  Minorca  cockerels  at  ten  weeks  old  make 
excellent  broilers.  Brahmas  usually  lack  in  plump- 
ness. In  order  to  determine  the  best  breeds  of  fowls 
adapted  for  broilers,  and  also  the  cost  of  raising  them 
to  a  marketable  age,  the  South  Carolina  experiment 
station  has  conducted  some  experiments  on  these  lines. 
Three  varieties  of  thoroughbreds,  two  crosses  of  thor- 
oughbreds, and  two  crosses  of  thoroughbreds  on  com- 
mon fowls  were  used.  The  eggs  were  hatched  in 
incubators  and  ten  chicks  from  each  lot  were  put  into  a 
brooder. 

The  chicks  were  fed  the  first  week  on  bread  made 
of  equal  parts  corn  meal  and  wheat  bran,  mixed  with 
salt,  buttermilk  and  soda,  and  thoroughly  baked.  They 
were  fed  all  they  would  eat  five  times  a  day.  The 
second  week  they  were  fed  bread  at  six  o'clock,  beef 
scraps  at  ten,  bread  at  two,  and  at  four.  German 
millet  was  scattered  in  straw  for  them  to  work  on 
until  night.  After  the  second  week  they  were  given 
bread,  beef  scrap,  cracked  corn  and  cracked  wheat. 
They  also  had  skimmilk,  buttermilk  once  a  day  and  all 
the  green  food  they  would  eat.  The  following  table 
shows  the  growth  of  the  chickens  to  twelve  weeks  of 
age: 

WEIGHT  IN  OUNCES  PER   CHICKEN 

2d  4th  8th  12th 

week  week  week  week 

Barred  Plymouth  Rock   3%  9%  29  43 1^ 

S.L.Wyandotte 3  8%  28^  42^4 

Indian   Game    3  9  28  %  43 

Indian  Game  X  Plymouth  Rock.. 4  10%  32  45% 

Pit  Game  X  Plymouth  Rock 3%  10  31%  46 

Plymouth  Rock  X  common 3%  8%  23  43 

S.  L.  Wyandotte  X  common 3  8%  26%  41 

The  Wyandotte,  Indian  Game  and  Plymouth  Rock 
cross  and  Pit  Game  and  Plymouth  Rock  cross  showed 


208  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

a  plump  breast.  The  Pit  Game  and  Plymouth  Rock 
cross,  the  Plymouth  Rock  on  common  hen  cross,  and 
the  Wyandotte  had  most  feathers.  The  Indian  Game 
had  few  feathers  but  was  plump.  The  cost  of  feed, 
which  during  the  experiment  was  unusually  high,  was 
seven  and  one-half  cents  per  chicken  to  eight  weeks 
old,  and  twelve  cents  per  chicken  at  twelve  weeks  of 
age. 

Finishing  Broilers — ^When  nearly  large  enough 
for  broilers  put  the  chickens  into  a  pen  having  a  shady 
run  and  a  shady  side.  Here  give  them  clean,  fresh 
water  once  or  twice  a  day,  and  all  the  fattening  food 
they  can  eat.  Muscle  and  bone-making  foods,  remem- 
ber, are  not  required.  Corn  in  various  forms,  how- 
ever, should  be  fed  freely  to  them.  Cooked  corn, 
mashed  corn  and  ground  corn,  as  well  as  whole  corn, 
should  be  fed  every  day.  Warm  potatoes  and  bread 
crumbs  will  also  make  fat.  Any  kind  of  milk  and  a 
little  sugar  will  likewise  help  along  the  fattening 
process,  and  this  should  be  as  fast  as  possible,  for  dur- 
ing these  days  the  chicks  will  eat  considerable,  and  if 
they  do  not  lay  on  fat  every  hour  it  will  be  a  losing 
operation. 

Squab  Broilers — Small  chicks,  known  to  the  trade 
as  squab  broilers,  may  be  grown  in  eight  to  ten  weeks 
in  brooders  kept  in  a  room  where  the  temperature  is 
kept  at  about  seventy  degrees.  The  Rhode  Island 
experiment  station  found  that  when  marketed  at  this 
age  they  could  be  successfully  raised  without  any  out- 
side exercise. 

Celery  fed  broilers  are  broilers  fed  celery  for  a 
few  days  previous  to  killing,  to  flavor  the  flesh.  Feed- 
ing celery  for  this  purpose  is  but  little  practiced.  .  It 
originated  with  some  duck  growers  who  fed  their 
ducklings  celery  to  give  the  flesh  a  flavor  similar  to 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  209 

that  of  the  wild  ducks  whose  flesh  is  flavored  by  the 
wild  celery  which  forms  a  part  of  their  diet. 

Philadelphia  broilers,  as  the  term  implies,  are 
broilers  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  and  are 
mostly  bought  up  by  New  York  city  dealers,  or  at  least 
the  best  of  them  find  their  way  to  New  York,  simply 
because  New  York  consumers  are  willing  to  pay  more 
for  good  broilers  than  Philadelphia  consumers.  It  is 
also  well  known  that  the  broilers  raised  within  thirty 
miles  of  Philadelphia  are  the  best  to  be  found.  They 
are  noted  for  plumpness,  with  clear,  yellow  skin.  The 
breeds  most  desirable  are  White  Plymouth  Rock  and 
White  Wyandotte.  For  small  broilers  a  White  Leg- 
horn male  crossed  on  White  Plymouth  Rock  females 
will  get  the  finest  one  and  one-quarter-pound  broilers 
that  are  put  on  the  market.  For  one  and  one-half- 
pound  broilers  either  White  Wyandottes  or  White 
Rocks  cannot  be  beaten.  Being  white,  they  dress  off 
fine  and  do  not  show  the  pinfeathers  like  other  colors. 

The  method  of  feeding  is  four  times  a  day  for  the 
first  three  weeks,  then  three  times  a  day.  At  first  the 
feed  consists  of  equal  parts  of  bran,  brown  middlings 
and  corn  chop,  and  some  No.  2  flour  to  stick  the 
mixture  together.  Put  the  flour  on  after  wetting  and 
mixing,  and  shake  it  through  the  feed.  It  takes  ten 
days  to  fatten  the  chicks,  and  the  fattening  feed 
should  consist  of  four  parts  corn  chop  and  one  part 
bran.  Wet  and  mix  and  use  flour  same  as  above. 
Confine  the  chicks  in  close  quarters  while  fattening, 
and  any  which  do  not  come  up  to  the  standard  in  ten 
days  should  be  thrown  out  where  they  can  range  for 
at  least  two  weeks.  A  healthy  chick  will  get  very  fat 
in  this  time. 

Feed  light  for  the  first  two  days.  Give  fresh 
water  every  feed,  feed  only  twice,  and  give  all 
thev  can  eat.    Take  away  what  is  left  as  soon  as  they 


210  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Stop  eating.  Against  the  wall  place  coops  eighteen 
inches  square,  with  slat  front,  with  six-inch  board  run 
along  in  front  to  set  the  feed  and  water  on.  Put  six 
chicks  in  each  coop.  Give  plenty  of  grit ;  crushed  flint 
is  best. 

When  ready  to  ship,  kill  and  pick  dry,  and  if 
enough  are  ready  at  once  the  best  thing  to  ship  in  is  a 
barrel.  If  small  quantities  are  shipped  use  an  egg  case, 
butter  crate  or  any  kind  of  a  box.  Broilers  are  very 
tender  and  should  have  a  small  quantity  of  either  clean 
straw  or  excelsior  on  top  and  bottom  to  keep  them 
from  chafing.  Cool  thoroughly  in  ice  water  before 
packing  and  in  warm  weather  use  crushed  ice  on  top, 
then  the  excelsior  on  top  of  the  ice.  Philadelphia  broil- 
ers can  be  raised  anywhere  once  the  trick  is  learned, 
yet  it  will  require  some  experience  to  get  them  so  nice 
and  fat  that  they  appear  almost  like  squabs.  With 
strong,  healthy  breeding  stock,  which  lay  good,  fertile 
eggs,  the  victory  is  half  won. —  [G.  A.  Fetridge. 

CAPONS  AND  CAPONIZING 

A  capon  is  a  castrated  cock,  especially  when  fat- 
tened. The  object  in  caponizing  is  to  secure  quality 
and  size,  but  quality  is  the  most  desirable.  To  secure 
this,  much  depends  on  both  the  breed  and  the  feed. 
To  secure  the  best  capons,  the  birds  must  be  given 
plenty  of  time  to  mature,  and  cannot,  therefore,  be 
marketed  while  young.  A  few  months'  old  capon  is 
no  better  than  a  cockerel.  In  fact,  age  does  not 
impair  the  quality  of  a  capon,  provided  the  bird  is  not 
kept  over  a  year  and  a  half,  as  it  more  readily  fattens 
after  reaching  maturity  than  before  that  time.  The 
one  great  mistake  in  raising  capons  is  in  marketing 
them  too  early. 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  211 

The  demand,  consequently  the  market  for  capons, 
is  a  pecuHar  one.  While  there  is  a  very  limited 
demand  during  the  entire  year,  the  bulk  of  them  are 
sold  between  the  holidays  and  spring.  The  turkey 
holds  the  place  of  honor  at  Thanksgiving,  divides  it 
with  ducks  and  geese  at  Christmas  and  New  Year's, 
and  when  these  are  past,  there  is  more  inquiry  for 
capons,  which  continues  till  April  or  May.  So  little 
call  is  there  for  them  outside  of  this  season,  that  many, 
if  not  all  dealers,  cease  quoting  prices  at  other  times. 

The  profit  in  capons  is  a  moot  question.  It  will 
not  pay  to  perform  the  operation  on  any  but  the  larger 
breeds,  and  there  are  many  individuals  and  many 
localities  where  it  will  not  pay  at  all.  While  good 
capons  usually  sell  for  somewhat  higher  prices  than 
roasting  chickens,  the  difference  in  price  between  the 
two  is  less  than  formerly.  In  Boston,  it  is  said  that 
the  larger  part  of  the  capons  are  dressed  clean,  and 
sold  as  ^'south  shore  roasters."  A  capon  must  be  fed 
for  so  long  a  time  before  marketing  that  the  feed  bill 
eats  up  a  large  part  of  the  extra  price. 

Many  poultrymen  say  that  there  is  more  profit  m 
keeping  pullets  for  eggs  in  the  space  that  would  be 
occupied  by  capons.  But  locality  and  circumstance 
must  decide  this  point.  A  poor  capon  will  bring  no 
more  than  a  chicken.  The  small  sizes  of  capons,  about 
five  or  six  pounds,  sell  quite  readily,  but  at  lower 
prices.  The  large  ones  weighing  nine,  ten  and  twelve 
pounds,  or  even  more,  bring  higher  prices  per  pound. 
They  take  the  place  of  turkeys  to  a  considerable 
extent. 

Capons  grow  rapidly  and  mature  early,  as  they 
are  quiet  and  peaceable.  Their  flesh  remains  soft  and 
juicy,  like  that  of  a  young  chicken,  and  as  a  rule,  they 
bring  considerably  more  per  pound  than  natural  birds. 
They  are  most  in  demand  from  after  the  holidays  and 


212  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

until  June  and  are  not  commonly  marketed  until  from 
eight  to  fourteen  months  of  age.  Capons  make  more 
weight  for  the  feed  they  eat  than  do  other  fowls,  as 
their  only  ambition  is  to  eat  and  rest,  two  things  which 
are  favorable  to  the  production  of  fat  and  growth.  A 
flock  of  capons  are  quiet,  do  not  crow  and  are  easily 
taken  care  of. 

The  best  breeds  to  caponize  are  the  medium  sized 
varieties  such  as  Plymouth  Rocks,  Wyandottes,  Rhode 
Island  Reds,  etc.  The  Asiatics  do  not  give  as  satis- 
factory results  unless  kept  until  they  reach  maturity, 
when  they  are  so  large  as  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of 
private  families.  It  does  not  pay  to  caponize  smaller 
breeds,  for  they  do  not  produce  dressed  fowls  of  the 
highest  quality.  A  cross  of  the  Dorking  or  Indian 
Game  on  Light  Brahma,  or  a  Pit  Game  on  a  Houdan- 
Brahma  hen,  will  produce  very  fine  capons.  A  pen  of 
fine  capons,  mostly  Brahmas,  are  shown  in  Figure  90. 

The  Operation — Birds  are  three  months  old. 
They  are  confined  to  the  table  by  straps  and  weights 
around  legs,  wings  and  neck  A  space  of  several 
square  inches  is  plucked  clean,  a  slit  made  with  a  sharp 
knife  between  the  last  two  ribs  one  and  one-half  inches 
long.  The  ribs  are  held  apart  with  a  wire  spreader, 
the  intestines  are  moved  back,  the  organs  found  and 
removed  by  a  twist  with  the  spoon  hook.  Apt  students 
complete  the  operation  in  about  three  minutes. 

To  avoid  needless  cruelty  the  beginner  should 
practice  first  with  a  dead  fowl.  The  operation  is  best 
performed  on  chickens  about  three  months  old, 
although  it  will  succeed  if  carefully  done  on  older 
birds,  but  the  percentage  of  deaths,  slips  and  culls  will 
be  greater. 

As  with  many  other  operations,  this  is  one  that 
can  be  learned  most  readily  by  seeing  it  done,  and  we 
advise    those    who    would    undertake    it    to    procure 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  213 


214  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

instructions  wherever  it  is  available.     Still,  if  one  has 

a  little  confidence,  he  will  meet  with  success  if  the 

directions    here    given 

are  carefully  followed. 

In    the    first   place   a 

table     is     needed,     in 

which    a    few    screw 

rings   are   inserted    at 

convenient    places  ; 

these     are     furnished 

with   broad   tapes,   by 

which     the     bird     is 

securely    held   during 

the    operation.      Two    fig.    91 — caponizing   table 

styles  of  tables  are  shown  in  Figures  91  and  92,  but  a 

barrel  can  be  used.     A  set  of  tools  is  shown  in  Figures 

93,  94  and  95. 

Place  the  bird  upon  the  table  and  fasten  it  down 
upon  its  left  side,  as  shown  at  Figure  92,  where  the 
rings  and  ropes  are  seen.  Straps  with  weights  may  be 
used  instead.  The  spot  where  the  opening  is  to  be 
made  is  shown  by  the  x.  Here  the  feathers  are  plucked 
and  an  opening  is  made  through  the  skin  with  a  pair 
of  sharp-pointed,  long-bladed  scissors,  or  a  lance  made 
for  the  purpose.  The  skin  is  drawn  to  one  side  and 
an  opening  is  made  with  the  instrument  between  the 
last  two  ribs  for  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  great 
care  being  taken  not  to  wound  the  intestines.  The 
ribs  are  then  separated  by  the  U-shaped  spring  hook, 
so  as  to  expose  the  inside.  The  intestines  are  gently 
moved  out  of  the  way  with  the  handle  of  a  teaspoon 
and  the  glands  or  testicles  will  be  seen  attached  to 
the  back.  The  tissue  which  covers  them  is  torn  open 
with  the  hook,  aided  by  tweezers.  The  gland  is  then 
grasped  with  the  forceps  and  the  cord  is  held  by  the 
tweezers.    The  gland  is  then  twisted  off  by  turning 


BROILERS,   CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS 


215 


the  forceps;  and  when  this  has  been  done,  the  other 
one  is  removed  in  the  same  way.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  injure  the  blood  vessel  which  is  connected  with 
the  organs,  as  this  is  the  only  seat  of  danger  in  the 
operation,  and  its  rupture  will  be  fatal.  The  hook  is 
then  removed,  and  if  the  skin  has  been  drawn  back- 


FIG.   92 — POSITION  OF  FOWL  ON   OPERATING  TABLE 


ward  at  the  outset  it  will  now  slip  back  and  cover 
the  inner  skin  which  covers  the  intestines,  and  close 
the  opening.  No  stitching  is  needed.  A  few  feathers 
are  drawn  together  on  each  side  of  the  opening  and 
plastered  down  on  the  skin  with  the  blood,   where 


2l6 


MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 


they  will  dry  and  form  the  best  possible  covering  tc 
the  wound,  which  will  begin  to  heal  at  once.  The  bird 
should  be  fed  with  a  very  little  milk  for  a  few  days 
after  the  operation,  but  should  have  plenty  of  water. 
For  two  nights  and  one  day  before  the  operation  no 
food  or  water  should  be  given  to  the  bird.  This  will 
greatly  facilitate  the  work,  and  reduce  the  chances  of 
loss.  The  operation,  after  a  few  successful  trials, 
may  be  performed  in  less  than  three  minutes;  and  by 
the  use  of  the  rings  and  taps,  no  assistance  is  needed. 


FIG.    93 — SET    OF    CAPONIZING    TOOLS 


Examine  the  bird  daily  after  the  operation,  until 
the  wound  is  healed.  The  skin  may  pufif  up  with  air, 
and  if  this  occurs  an  opening  should  be  made  with  a 
needle  inside  a  quill.  Withdraw  the  needle,  leavir^j; 
the  quill  in,  and  press  out  the  air,  then  remove  tlu 
quill. 

The  one  great  mistake  in  raising  capon:,  is  i-i 
marketing  them  too  early  and  not  having  them  fat 
enough.  After  caponizing  keep  them  growing  until 
they  reach  full  size,  which  will  take  from  six  to  ten 


BROILERS     CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS 


217 


months.  Then  fat  them.  This  can  be  done  in  two 
weeks  by  shutting  them  in  a  small,  dark  coop  and 
feeding  three  times  a  day  all  they  will  eat  of  corn  meal 
and  middlings  mixed  up  with  milk. 


FIG.  94 TWEEZERS,  SPRING  HOOK,  WIRE  HOOK 

The  New  York  operating  expert,  I.  C.  H.  Cook, 
writes :  "Some  care  should  be  exercised  in  performing 
the  operation  lest  the  large  artery  following  along  the 
backbone  is  ruptured,  since  that  would  cause  the 
immediate  death  of  the  chicken ;  still  there  is  no  loss, 
for  he  only  provides  us  with  a  good  broiler !  Then,  too, 
another  thing  to  expect  is  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five 
per  cent  'slips' — these  are  cockerels  on  which  imper- 
fect operations  were  performed,  and  as  they  mature 
the  comb  grows,  and  to  all  appearances  they  are  roost- 
ers.    Possibly  the  most  important  factor  of  all  in  3 


FIG.  95 — SPOON  FORCEPS 


successful  operation  is  having  the  cockerel  at  the 
proper  age.  I  am  better  acquainted  with  the  Plymouth 
Rocks  than  any  other  breed,  and  with  them  about  three 
and   one-half   months   seems   to   be   the   proper   age. 


2r8  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Those  breeds  which  mature  much  earlier,  hke  the  Leg- 
horns, should  be  operated  upon  much  younger,  while 
a  Brahma  could  possibly  be  caponized  when  five  or  six 
months  old,  and  not  have  much  danger  attending  the 
work. 

''As  soon  as  caponized  the  chicken  should  be  given 
all  the  ground  feed  and  drink  it  wishes,  for  it  is  hun- 
gry, since,  in  order  to  facilitate  matters,  the  cockerel 
should  be  fasted  about  thirty  hours  previous  to  the 
operation;  in  three  days'  time  the  wound  should  be 
healed  over,  and  in  two  or  three  weeks  it  would  be 
quite  difficult  to  find  even  a  scar. 

"Now  we  have  a  bird  that  will  put  on  flesh  at  a 
surprising  rate,  the  meat  is  of  a  delicious  flavor  and 
very  tender  and  juicy,  and  with  the  same  amount  of 
feed,  a  capon  will  weigh  about  a  third  more  at  a  given 
age  than  if  left  as  a  rooster.  It  is  well  worth  the 
trouble  to  have  the  noisy  young  cockerels  transformed 
into  quiet,  lazy  birds,  even  if  we  were  recompensed  in 
no  other  way,  but  the  price  to  be  obtained  for  capons 
is  what  pleases  the  grower  of  them  most  of  all,  as  the 
regular  quotations  range  from  six  to  ten  cents  above 
the  ordinary  chicken.  I  well  remember  the  first  year 
I  engaged  in  this  department  of  my  poultry  work, 
when  I  sold  twenty  capons  averaging  eight  pounds 
each  at  twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  one  of  which 
dressed  nine  and  one-half  pounds,  and  a  well-known 
lawyer  paid  me  $2.37  for  the  same.  So  we  see  the 
advantages  are  threefold — a  better  price,  a  larger  bird 
and  a  quiet  bird. 

"The  question  usually  comes  up.  What  is  the  best 
breed  for  capons?  All  breeds.  That  is,  whatever 
variety  of  fowls  one  has,  by  all  means  caponize  your 
surplus  cockerels ;  but  for  market  purposes  the  larger 
breeds  are  of  course  preferable.  The  Plymouth  Rock, 
for  instance,  is  as  good  as  the  best;  I,  at  least,  am 


BROILERS,   CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  2I9 

perfectly  satisfied  with  them,  and  come  to  this  con- 
clusion after  trying  several  other  breeds.  But  the  best 
results  in  this  as  well  as  in  any  other  line  of  work  are 
attainable  only  by  persistent  effort,  and  doing  it  all  in 
a  thorough,  businesslike  way,  having  perfection  as  our 
goal  and  watchword,  and  then  strive  to  win  it." 

Experience  with  Capons — An  Ohio  poultry  man 
who  has  made  a  success  of  capon  rearing  is  J.  G. 
Hover.  He  writes:  ''My  attention  was  drawn  to 
capons  by  seeing  them  quoted  in  the  New  York  mar- 
kets at  eighteen  to  twenty-six  cents  per  pound.  I  con- 
cluded I  would  produce  some  and  take  my  chances  on 
learning  how  to  caponize,  feed,  fatten,  butcher,  pack 
and  ship.  When  young  market  fowls  were  selling  at 
five  to  six  cents  per  pound,  eighteen  or  twenty  cents 
seemed  an  enormous  advance.  My  first  experience 
was  with  fifty-one  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  cockerels, 
which  weighed  at  the  time  of  the  operation  in  October 
three  to  six  pounds  each.  It  took  me  nearly  two  and 
one-half  days  to  perform  the  operation.  I  could  have 
done  it  much  more  rapidly  if  the  birds  had  not  been  so 
big  and  strong.  Forty-five  of  the  birds  survived. 
Under  more  favorable  circumstances  and  with  more 
experience,  the  loss  of  six  of  the  fifty-one  would  have 
been  a  large  percentage. 

"I  did  not  give  them  any  special  care  through  the 
winter,  but  just  let  them  run  with  the  other  farmyard 
fowls  until  about  three  weeks  before  shipping,  when 
they  were  separated  from  all  others  and  fed  alone  on 
corn,  corn  meal  and  bran  mixed  with  plenty  of  fresh 
water.  Oyster  shells  were  provided  freely.  They  had 
not  been  crowded  any  through  the  winter  and  only 
weighed  when  dressed  five  and  one-half  pounds  each. 
Forty  were  sent  to  market  and  sold  for  eighteen  cents 
per  pound  and  brought  $39.24,  or  nearly  one  dollar 
each.     The   feathers   were   very  nice,   as   they  were 


220  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

picked  dry,  and  sold  for  ten  cents  per  pound,  which 
more  than  made  up  the  dollar.  Capons  must  be  large 
and  fine  to  bring  the  best  price.  They  should  weigh 
from  seven  to  ten  pounds,  or  more,  each.  As  near  as 
I  can  estimate  the  cost  of  these  capons  was  forty  cents 
each,  leaving  in  even  numbers  sixty  cents  for  profit, 
or  $24  for  the  lot.  This  I  considered  very  satisfactory 
returns  for  the  first  attempt. 

''Remember  this  was  some  years  ago,  the  sale 
being  made  in  the  spring  of  1892,  but  as  good  or  better 
results  can  be  secured  now  by  selecting  heavy  breeds 
and  giving  them  good  care  and  feed.  Keep  them 
growing  rapidly.  It  will  not  pay  to  caponize  cockerels 
of  small  breed,  as  they  will  weigh  but  a  few  pounds 
and  sell  at  a  low  price.  The  size  and  development  of 
the  bird  determines  the  time  to  caponize  and  not  the 
age.  No  bird  that  weighs  less  than  one  and  one-half 
pounds  should  be  operated  upon.  Two  pounds  is  just 
right." 

THE  SOFT  ROASTER  INDUSTRY 

The  farmers  along  the  south  shore  of  Boston  Bay 
of  eastern  Massachusetts  have  developed  a  special 
poultry  industry  which  requires  the  most  labor  during 
the  winter  months  and  the  least  amount  in  summer. 
This  section  of  the  state  is  essentially  a  locality  of 
small  farms.  On  the  largest  plant,  with  a  capacity  of 
6000  chickens  a  year,  one  man  in  addition  to  the  pro- 
prietor does  all  the  work. 

Soft  roasters  are  fowls  v/hich  have  nearly  reached 
maturity  and  are  marketed  while  the  flesh  is  still  soft. 
The  demand  opens  in  a  small  way  in  January  and 
continues  until  midsummer.  The  best  prices  are  real- 
ized in  May,  June  and  July  and  usually  reach  thirty 
cents  per  pound  live  weight.     The  market  opens  at 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  221 

fifteen  to  twenty  cents  per  pound  and  rises  as  the 
demand  and  season  advances. 

The  fowls  used  for  this  purpose  are  Light  Brah- 
mas  and  Plymouth  Rocks.  The  incubators  are  started 
in  August  with  Brahma  eggs  and  the  hatching  con- 
tinues until  the  following  April.  A  few  farmers  keep 
their  own  breeding  stock,  but  most  of  the  growers 
purchase  the  eggs  of  farmers  or  villagers  who  keep 
fowls  for  this  purpose  and  contract  the  eggs  at  fifty 


* '- 

It 

^'^"                          -^^^ 

21  J 

"m 

FIG.  q6 — COLONY  HOUSE  FOR  SOUTH   SHORE  ROASTERS 

cents  per  dozen  for  the  season.  Brahmas  have  long 
been  the  popular  breed,  but  are  being  rapidly  sup- 
planted by  Plymouth  Rocks,  especially  the  White  vari- 
ety. When  pullets  can  be  sold  at  thirty  cents  per 
pound  live  weight  there  is  a  great  tendency  to  sell  the 
larger  birds.  Added  to  this  the  fact  that  the  smaller 
pullets  mature  the  quickest  and  lay  the  most  eggs, 
explains  why  the  Brahmas  have  been  allowed  to  dete- 


222  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

riorate  in  size.  Because  Plymouth  Rocks  as  now  bred 
approach  closely  to  the  size  attained  by  Brahmas  in  this 
locality,  mature  one  to  two  months  quicker  and  will 
lay  more  eggs,  explains  why  they  are  becoming  so  pop- 
ular. Plymouth  Rocks  also  have  the  advantage  over 
Wyandottes  and  Rhode  Island  Reds  in  being  from  one 
to   two  pounds   heavier. 

After  the  chicks  are  hatched  they  are  placed  in 
the  brooders  where  they  are  kept  until  they  feather 
out  and  are  able  to  get  along  without  artificial  heat. 
Both  the  long,  continuous  brooder  and  individual 
brooders  are  used.  After  the  chickens  are  feathered, 
or  when  they  are  from  ten  to  twelve  weeks  old,  they 
are  placed  in  colony  houses  six  by  eight  feet  in  size 
as  shown  in  Figure  96.  Fifty  chickens  are  put  in  a 
house.  No  roosts  are  provided  in  the  houses,  which 
are  cleaned  out  once  or  twice  during  the  season.  The 
fowls  are  given  free  range  and  as  snow  seldom  lays 
on  the  ground  longer  than  two  or  three  days  at  a  time, 
they  are  out  doors  practically  every  day. 

They  are  fed  exclusively  on  cracked  corn  and 
beef  scrap  which  is  kept  in  self  feeders  constantly 
before  them.  They  are  also  provided  with  water,  and 
green  food  is  furnished  in  the  form  of  cabbages,  etc. 

]\Iost  of  the  cockerels  are  caponized.  Some  of 
the  growers  perform  the  operation  themselves,  while 
others  hire  experts  to  do  it.  The  loss  is  small,  but 
about  twenty-five  per  cent  will  prove  to  be  "slips." 

Two  or  three  men  make  a  business  of  buying,  kill- 
ing and  dressing  the  fowls.  With  large  wagons  they 
visit  the  raisers  once  a  week  and  together  pick  out 
what  chickens  are  ready  for  market.  It  is  a  nice  point 
to  know  just  when  a  roaster  is  ripe.  This  is  the  point 
when  they  will  cease  to  make  profitable  gains.  With 
the  pullets  it  is  when  they  begin  to  lay.  A  Brahma 
pullet  may  lay  for  a  week  or  two  without  materially 


BROILERS,  CAPONS  AND  ROASTERS  223 

changing  the  quahty  of  the  flesh,  but  the  flesh  of 
Plymouth  Rocks  and  other  breeds  changes  very  quickly 
at  this  time.  The  fowls  are  always  bought  alive  by 
weight  at  the  ruling  market  prices.  They  are  bled  in 
the  mouth,  picked  dry,  thrown  at  once  into  ice  water 
and  allowed  to  cool.  They  are  then  hung  up  to  dry 
and  the  next  morning  packed  in  shipping  cases  and 
sent  to  market.  Such  prices  can  only  be  expected 
in  localities  which  appreciate  and  are  willing  to  pay 
for  a  high  grade  of  poultry. 

The  breeding  stock  for  laying  is  selected  from 
January  and  February-hatched  Brahma  pullets  and 
February  and  March-hatched  Plymouth  Rocks.  This 
gives  a  hint  of  the  value  of  early  hatching  to  get  winter 
layers. 


CHAPTER   IX 
The  Market  End 

The  table  is  the  end  of  all  good  fowls,  and  whether 
they  be  high-priced  thoroughbreds  or  common  mon- 
grels their  utility  points  for  ^gg  and  meat  production 
must  ever  be  kept  prominently  to  the  fore.  Fine 
feathers  make  fine  birds  only  when  they  are  useful  for 
utility  purposes.  The  great  value  of  thoroughbred  or 
"fancy"  poultry,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  lies  in  the 
fact  that  they  are  of  larger  and  more  uniform  size, 
better  layers  and  will  return  a  larger  profit  in  eggs  or 
growth  for  the  food  consumed  than  will  mongrels. 
Many  look  with  scorn  upon  thoroughbreds,  saying  and 
believing  that  they  are  less  hardy  than  mongrels.  There 
is  some  truth  in  this,  for  thoroughbreds  have  been 
more  or  less  closely  bred  in  order  to  fix  the  breed  or 
variety  characteristics.  This  close  breeding,  often 
done  by  those  who  do  not  clearly  understand  the  laws 
of  breeding,  has  resulted  in  imparting  less  vigor  to 
their  stock.  It  is  the  law  of  nature  that  all  animals 
whose  living  comes  easy  soon  lose  the  ability  to 
"rustle"  for  their  living.  The  Jersey  cow  is  not  so 
hardy  as  the  range  cow,  but  this  is  nothing  against  her. 
The  man  who  would  keep  Jerseys  under  western  range 
conditions  would  be  a  fool.  So  also  the  man  who  will 
take  a  flock  of  high  bred  fowls,  turn  them  out  in  his 
barnyard  to  seek  their  living  and  let  them  roost  in  trees 
or  sheds,  will  be  surely  disappointed,  as  he  ought  to  be. 

A  flock  of  one  variety  will  lay  eggs  of  uniform 
size  and  color,  will  dress  oflf  about  the  same  in  size. 
Either  alive  or  dressed  they  will  command  a  better 
price  than  a  flock  of  nondescripts.    The  only  way  to 


THE  MARKET  END 


225 


get  such  a  flock  is  to  choose  one  variety  and  stick  to  it. 
Don't  breed  from  a  Plymouth  Rock  one  year,  the  next 
year  a  Leghorn  to  increase  Qgg  production,  and  a 
Brahma  to  add  size  the  year  following,  or  you  will 
have  a  flock  of  all  colors,  sizes  and  shapes.  Stick  to 
one  kind  whatever  it  may  be  and  in  the  long  run  you 
will  come  out  ahead. 

Fresh  eggs  in  the  farmer's  and  housekeeper's  mind 
and  *'fresh"  eggs  to  the  mind  of  the  dealer  are  different 
commodities.  To  the  latter  all  eggs  which  have  not 
been  in  storage  are  "fresh."  "New  laid"  is  a  term 
which  is  now  applied  to  eggs  laid  within  a  week  or  two. 
The  storage  business  has  grown  to  such  large  propor- 
tions that  thousands  of  cases  of  eggs  are  now  put  in 
cold  storage  during  the  spring  months  to  be  taken  out 
when  the  price  and  conditions  warrant.  Many  of  these 
are  sold  as  "fresh"  or  country  eggs. 

The  farmer  or  poultry  keeper  who  is  in  a  position 
to  do  so  will  get  the  most  money  from  his  flock  by 
selling  the  eggs  direct  to  consumers.  This  can  only  be 
done  advantageously  where  the  eggs  can  be  delivered 
each  week.  All  dirty  eggs  must  be  washed  clean,  and 
if  the  eggs  are  crated  and  shipped  it  will  pay  to  grade 
them  as  to  size  and  color.  Brown  shell  eggs  are  liked 
best  in  New  England  and  command  a  premium;  in 
New  York  spotless  white  eggs  are  worth  most.  In 
the  west  and  south  no  difference  is  made  for  color  of 
shell. 

Eggs  should  be  gathered  every  day  and  all  from 
"new"  nests  and  those  about  whose  age  there  is  any 
doubt  kept  separate  and  candled.  One  bad  egg  will 
often  lose  a  good  customer.  Cases  holding  thirty 
dozen  filled  with  pasteboard  fillers  which  hold  each  egg 
separately  are  universally  used  for  shipping  and  stor- 
age. A  variety  of  styles  of  boxes  and  baskets  are  used 
for  shipping  eggs  for  hatching.    Anything  that  is  neat 


226  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

and  clean  and  that  will  keep  the  eggs  from  breaking 
will  do  for  this  purpose.  A  good  way  is  to  wrap  each 
egg  in  excelsior,  pack  in  baskets  and  mark  in  largs 
letters  EGGS  FOR  HATCHING.  It  will  not  hurt  the 
eggs  to  wash  them  if  they  are  washed  clean,  and  then 
wiped  clean  and  dry.  The  objection  to  poor  washing 
of  eggs  is  that  it  often  simply  serves  to  fill  every  pore  of 
the  shell  with  matter  which  stops  evaporation.  To  illus- 
trate, an  egg  smeared  by  the  breaking  of  another  egg 
might  have  half  or  less  of  the  pores  stopped  up.  If 
carelessly  washed  the  broken  egg  might  be  only  thinly 
and  evenly  distributed  over  the  entire  shell.  In  that 
case  it  is  evident  that  it  would  have  been  better  not 
to  wash.  But  if  the  washing  is  well  done  it  is  an 
advantage.  Take  clean  water  that  is  warm  enough  to 
loosen  the  dirt.  If  that  is  very  adhesive  let  the  eggs 
soak  awhile — but  never  use  water  hot  enough  to  cook 
the  egg  next  the  shell.  Don't  attempt  to  rub  the  eggs 
hard.  I  prefer  a  bit  of  soft  sponge  for  the  washing, 
and  a  soft  cloth  to  dry  the  eggs,  though  I  only  dry 
them  when  to  be  sold  (market  eggs).  The  eggs  I  set  I 
wash  clean  and  let  dry  in  the  air.  There  can  be 
no  bad  effects  if  the  eggs  are  clean.  There  may  be  a 
slight  staining  of  the  shell,  which  is  of  no  consequence 
when  the  eggs  are  to  be  incubated,  but  does  not  look 
well  on  eggs  offered  for  sale.  If  many  soiled  eggs  are 
to  be  washed  use  small  quantities  of  water,  and  change 
often.  Using  water  that  has  become  thick  with  the 
stuff  washed  off  the  eggs  causes  most  of  the  trouble 
which  makes  some  warn  against  washing  eggs. 

Storing  eggs  for  winter  use  is  frequently  done  by 
the  thrifty  housewife  who  gets  them  when  they  are 
plenty  and  cheap.  There  are  many  recipes  for  holding 
eggs  but  only  two  have  been  proved  good  by  compara- 
tive tests.  These  are  water  glass  and  the  lime  and  salt 
solution.    Greasing  the  eggs,  packing  in  oats  or  bran 


THE  MARKET  END  22/ 

or  any  of  the  other  ways  sometimes  recommended, 
does  not  give  as  satisfactory  results.  The  requisites  for 
success  in  keeping  eggs  are  strictly  fresh  or  new  laid 
eggs  kept  in  a  cool  dark  place.  Place  the  eggs  in  a 
stone  jar  or  wooden  tub  and  cover  them  with  a  solution 
of  one  part  water  glass  (silicate  of  soda)  in  ten  parts 
pure  soft  water.  The  cellar  is  a  good  place  to  set  the 
jar.  Water  glass  can  be  obtained  of  most  druggists, 
and  is  a  heavy,  almost  colorless  liquid  costing  from  ten 
to  thirty  cents  per  pound.  It  sometimes  comes  in 
powder  form  when  it  must  be  dissolved  by  boiling  in 
water  for  two  to  three  hours,  then  when  cool  dilute 
with  ten  parts  water.  Eggs  will  keep  perfectly  in  this 
solution  for  eight  to  twelve  months.  The  other  for- 
mula is  to  mix  one  pound  fresh  stone  lime  and  one-half 
pound  table  salt  with  four  quarts  boiling  water.  After 
slaking  and  settling  draw  off  the  clean  liquid  and  pour 
over  the  eggs  so  as  to  cover  them.  This  is  an  old- 
fashioned  method  but  is  very  effective.  Eggs  kept  in 
water  glass  or  lime  water  and  salt  may  be  taken  out 
during  fall  and  winter  and  sold  for  packed  eggs  at 
about  five  cents  per  dozen  less  than  the  price  of  fresh 
eggs.  Many  families  can  safely  pack  a  few  dozen  to 
use  for  cooking  purposes  in  winter,  but  whether  it  is  a 
safe  business  venture  to  put  down  several  hundred 
dozen  is  another  question.  The  safest  method,  and  the 
only  one  available  on  a  large  scale,  is  to  use  cold 
storage,  where  the  eggs  can  be  held  at  twenty-eight  to 
thirty  degrees  Fahrenheit.  A  temperature  below 
twenty-seven  decrees  is  required  to  freeze  the  egg  and 
split  the  shell 

SHIPPING   LIVE    POULTRY 

Crates  should  be  built  with  solid  board  bottoms, 
-attice  sides,  ends  and  tops,  the  slats  being  not  over 


228  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

one  ana  one-half  inches  wide.  For  turkeys  and  geese, 
the  inside  measurement  should  be  forty-six  inches  long, 
twenty-eight  inches  wide  and  twent};-two  inches  high. 
For  all  smaller  fowl  they  should  be  inside  forty-six 
inches  long,  twenty-six  inches  wide  and  sixteen  inches 
high.  No  crate,  at  any  time,  should  have  in  it  over 
lOO  pounds  poultry,  large  or  small.  Water  and  feed 
them  regularly  and  keep  them  out  of  rain  and  sun,  and 
you  will  thereby  not  only  treat  them  as  you  would  like 
to  be  treated,  but  bring  them  to  the  purchaser  in  the 
best  possible  condition. 

Old  hens  usually  bring  the  best  prices  in  the  early 
fall  and  winter,  but  old  roosters  do  not  pay  for  the 
labor  and  cost  of  sending  them  to  market.  In  selling 
oif  the  stock  in  the  fall  send  only  the  small  stock  and 
the  fat  hens  that  do  not  lay.  Old  hens  sell  as  well  as 
pullets.  The  main  point  is  to  have  them  fat,  as  that 
covers  all  other  defects,  provided  they  are  healthy 
Never  send  a  sick  fowl  to  market;  it  may  die  on  the 
way  and  serve  to  depress  prices  by  casting  suspicion 
on  all  the  others.  When  the  weather  is  settled  cold, 
the  fowls  may  be  shipped  alive  or  dressed.  Hens  that 
are  only  one  or  two  years  old  are  termed  old  hens 
when  they  are  really  young  and  in  their  prime. 

To  dispose  of  surplus  stock,  when  prices  are  very 
low,  all  join  hands  and  have  a  killing  day.  Put  a  large 
pot  on  the  stove,  kill  and  dress  the  birds,  put  them  into 
the  pot  and  boil  till  tender.  Have  glass  jars  or  tin 
cans  ready  and  fill  with  chicken  pouring  the  juice  on 
top,  cover  with  fat  or  melted  butter  and  seal  while  hot. 
It  will  keep  through  the  year  and  can  then  be  pre- 
pared in  many  different  ways  for  the  table.  It  makes  a 
convenient  dish  for  unexpected  company.     . 


THE  MARKET  END 
DRESSING  AND  SHIPPING   POULTRY 


1229 


After  the  first  of  November  it  will  pay  better  to 
send  poultry  dressed  rather  than  alive.  Do  not  feed 
for  twenty-four  hours  before  killing.  Bleed  the  fowl 
through  the  mouth.  A  clean  cut  with  a  sharp-pointed 
knife  across  the  mouth  just  below  and  under  the  eyes 
will  do  the  business.  A  half-minute  will  be  all-sufficient 
to  bleed,  and  when  the  bird  begins  to  struggle,  give  it 
a  smart  blow  on  the  back  of  the  head  and  begin  the 
picking  at  once. 


FIG.  97 — SHAPING   RACK   AND   FOWL 

Fowls  for  Boston  market  should  always  be  dry 
picked,  as  scalded  poultry  will  surely  be  cut  from  ten 
to  twelve  per  cent.  For  the  New  York  market  it  is 
immaterial,  as,  other  things  being  the  same,  the  price 
will  not  vary  much  between  dry  picked  and  the  scalded. 
Chicago  and  most  western  markets  prefer  dry  picked. 

At  the  molting  season,  young  stock  will  look  and 
pay  about  as  well  if  scalded  as  if  dry  picked.  This 
should  be  quickly  done  in  water  nearly  up  to  the  boil- 
ing point,  then  pick  perfectly  clean,  dip  imn^ediately 


230  MAKING   POULTRY  PAY 

into  very  hot  water  and  then  lay  in  cold  water  for 
fifteen  minutes.  If  a  little  salt  is  added  to  the  water  it 
will  draw  the  blood  out  of  the  skin.  After  the  chicken 
has  been  plucked,  it  should  be  placed  on  a  shaping 
board,  as  shown  in  Figure  97.  The  weight  placed  on 
the  top  of  the  chicken  is  used  to  give  it  a  compact 
appearance.  This  weight  may  be  of  iron  or  a  brick  will 
answer.  If  chickens  are  hung  by  the  legs  after  being 
plucked  it  spoils  their  appearance,  making  them  look 
thin  and  leggy.  Whether  scalded  or  dry  picked  the 
fowls  should  be  carefully  packed,  breast  down,  and  (if 
shipped  any  distance)  with  layers  of  clean  straw 
between.  Most  of  the  Boston  dealers  prefer  poultry 
drawn,  but  that  sent  to  New  York  and  to  Chicago  and 
western  cities  in  general  is  not  drawn.  Undrawn 
poultry  keeps  best. 

Many  good  chickens  are  spoiled  by  being  packed 
before  they  are  thoroughly  cooled.  Care  should  be 
taken  that  all  the  animal  heat  is  out  of  the  body  before 
the  fowls  are  packed.  In  packing  for  dry  shipment,  the 
case  should  be  clean  and  strong  enough  to  carry  the 
contents  well.  Barrels  or  cases  holding  about  200 
pounds  are  the  most  satisfactory.  For  packing  mate- 
rial clean,  dry  hand-threshed  wheat  or  rye  straw  is 
best.  Place  a  layer  in  the  bottom,  then  alternate  layers 
of  poultry  and  straw.  Place  the  backs  of  the  fowls  up 
and  the  legs  out  straight,  filling  so  that  the  top  layer 
will  fit  down  closely  upon  the  contents  of  the  package. 
Pains  must  be  taken  to  have  every  fowl  perfectly  dry 
before  putting  in  the  packing  case.  All  blood  remain- 
ing about  the  mouth  must  be  removed  with  a  damp 
cloth. 

If  the  fowls  are  to  be  shipped  In  ice,  use  only 
poultry  or  sugar  barrels.  These  latter  must  be  thor- 
oughly washed  so  that  they  will  not  contain  any  traces 
of  sugar.    Place  a  layer  of  cracked  ice  in  the  bottom 


THE  MARKET  END  23I 

of  the  barrel,  then  alternate  layers  of  poultry  and  ice 
until  the  package  is  nearly  full.  Over  the  top  layer 
of  poultry  place  a  layer  of  ice,  then  a  piece  of  burlap, 
and  finally  a  layer  of  cracked  ice  on  which  the  head 
rests.  Pack  the  poultry  breasts  down  and  back  up, 
with  the  legs  out  straight  towards  the  center  of  the 
barrel,  making  a  ring  of  fowls  side  by  side  around  the 
outside.  The  middle  of  the  barrel  may  be  filled  with 
fowls  so  that  the  top  may  be  level. 

The  methods  of  dressing  capons  vary  somewhat 
for  different  markets,  and  it  is  wise  for  the  grower  to 
learn  from  the  dealer  or  commission  merchant  in  the 
market  to  which  he  purposes  shipping  as  to  any  special 
demands.  They  are  usually,  and  always  for  best  mar- 
kets, dry  picked.  It  is  customary  with  most  growers 
to  leave  on  the  feathers  of  the  neck,  tail  and  wings; 
some  leave  on  more  than  others,  but  the  carcass  must 
show  up  its  plump  proportions  and  rich  yellow  color. 
For  they  must  be  well  fattened. 

For  the  English  market,  fowls  of  about  five 
pounds  weight,  dressed,  are  the  best  size.  They  want 
a  bird  with  a  white  flesh  and  skin  instead  of  a  yellow, 
and  they  object  to  black  legs  or  feathers  on  the  legs. 
While  the  Plymouth  Rock  and  Wyandotte  have  yellow 
flesh  and  legs,  the  color  can  be  influenced  considerably 
by  the  feed.  Oats  and  skimmilk  have  a  tendency  to 
make  them  light  colored. 

Turkeys  are  killed,  dressed  and  shipped  in  the 
same  manner  as  fowls.  Never  allow  them  to  freeze; 
this  greatly  injures  their  market  value.  Dry  picked 
turkeys  usually  sell  best  in  most  markets.  Dry  picking 
is  not  the  difficult  task  many  consider  it  if  rightly 
managed.  It  is  easily  and  quickly  done  if  picked  at 
once  while  the  body  is  still  warm.  The  skin  is  not  so 
apt  to  be  broken  or  the  flesh  bruised  as  when  picking 
those  that  have  been  scalded.     In  packing,  be  careful 


a^  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

to  assort  the  fowls  properly  and  place  all  of  the  same 
grade  together,  putting  the  toms  or  any  not  looking 
so  nice  in  boxes  by  themselves.  Place  together  the  hen 
turkeys,  which  always  have  rounder,  plumper  bodies 
than  the  toms,  and  to  sell  well  the  packages  should 
always  be  of  uniform  quality.  When  different  quali- 
ties are  packed  together  they  are  invariably  rated  with 
the  inferior  fowls.  Many  dollars  are  lost  every  year 
by  not  giving  attention  to  this  simple  but  important 
particular.  It  is  best  to  have  packages  to  weigh  from 
lOO  to  200  pounds,  as  these  sizes  are  most  conveniently 
handled.  On  the  outside  of  boxes  should  be  plainly 
written  the  contents,  gross  weight  and  name  of  the 
consignee  as  well  as  the  consignor.  Care  in  this 
respect  will  insure  prompt  delivery  and  returns. 
Shippers  should  manage  to  get  in  all  of  their  largest 
turkeys  for  Thanksgiving;  they  are  then  wanted  as 
large  as  can  be  produced.  Medium  sized  hen  turkeys 
sell  better  for  the  Christmas  and  New  Year's  markets. 
After  the  holidays  are  over,  eight  and  ten-pound  birds 
sell  best.  When  shipping  poultry  that  is  first-class  in 
every  respect,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  neatly  tag  each  fowl 
with  the  name  and  address  of  the  sender.  In  this  way 
a  reputation  may  be  gained  that  will  enable  him  to 
always  dispose  of  his  stock  at  fancy  prices. 

Ducks  and  geese  are  commonly  scalded.  Dip  them 
in  water  nearly  to  the  boiling  point  and  lift  up  and 
down  a  few  times.  Then  take  out  and  wrap  in  a 
flannel  blanket  to  allow  the  feathers  to  steam  a  few 
minutes.  They  can  then  be  picked  very  quickly.  A 
blunt  knife  is  of  great  service  in  removing  the  pin- 
feathers,  as  with  it  one  can  seize  the  shortest  and  pull 
them.  After  picking  throw  the  carcasses  in  cold  water 
to  cool,  then  dry  and  pack  the  same  as  poultry. 

All  game  birds  should  be  shipped  in  their  natural 
state — undrawn — except  in  very  hot  weather,  when  it 


THE  MARKET  END  233 

is  necessary  to  get  the  animal  heat  out  In  order  to  keep 
from  spoiling.  With  proper  care,  stock  can  be  for- 
warded in  all  seasons  so  as  to  arrive  in  good  condition. 
Trapped  birds  are  more  desirable  than  those  that  have 
been  shot.  Game  birds  can  be  packed  dry  unfrozen,  or 
frozen  solid  before  packing,  or  packed  with  ice.  Of 
late  years  venison  saddles  have  sold  higher  as  a  rule 
when  skinned  than  when  sent  with  skin  on.  Whole 
deer,  however,  should  never  be  skinned,  but  the 
entrails  should  be  removed,  including  liver  and  lights, 
and  the  inside  of  carcass  thoroughly  washed  with 
cold  water.  Hares  and  rabbits  should  never  be  drawn, 
and  should  be  kept  as  free  from  blood  as  possible. 


CHAPTER  X 
Waterfowl 

Duck  keeping  as  a  business  has  assumed  very 
large  proportions  within  the  past  twenty  years,  some 
breeders  raising  as  many  as  20,000  ducks  a  year. 
They  are  marketed  when  ten  to  twelve  weeks  old,  at 
which  time  they  are  very  tender  and  much  prized  by 
epicures.  On  the  farm  where  only  a  small  flock  is  kept 
and  raised  the  care  of  them  is  very  simple.  Damp, 
marshy  land,  not  suitable  for  fowls,  is  well  adapted  to 
ducks  and  geese,  particularly  the  latter. 

COMMERCIAL   DUCK    BREEDING 

Let  us  begin  with  the  location  of  the  plant,  and 
that  may  be  almost  anything  that  you  can  get.  While 
water  is  one  of  the  almost  necessary  points,  there  are 
many  leading  breeders  who  do  not  have  water  running 
through  their  yards  and  do  not  consider  it  necessary. 
In  establishing  a  plant,  if  you  could  select  just  what 
you  wanted,  I  should  advise  choosing  a  place  with  a 
good,  sizable  pond  or  running  stream  of  water,  for  in 
that  way  you  would  gain  in  the  fertility  of  the  eggs. 

The  Pekin  duck  we  advocate  altogether  because  of 
the  deep  keel.  In  the  improved  type  the  breast  line 
should  be  nearly  parallel  with  the  back  and  the  breast 
should  be  nearly  the  same  length  as  the  back.  The  old 
line  bird  is  something  the  shape  of  a  Bartlett  pear.  Of 
course  it  is  possible  with  the  old  type  of  bird  to  get  a 
heavy  weight,  but  the  weight  does  not  come  in  the 
right  place;  it  is  mostly  back  of  the  legs,  which  is 
where  most  of  the  waste  comes,  and  there  is  no  frame 

234 


WATERFOWL  235 

to  build  on.  In  selecting  birds  for  breeding  I  would 
choose  preferably  birds  that  only  weigh  from  six  to 
seven  pounds  apiece  alive,  and  mate  them  carefully 
with  medium-sized  drakes.  We  used  to  mate  five 
ducks  to  one  drake,  but  now  I  should  like  to  mate  up 
in  single  pens  one  drake  with  five,  six  or  seven  females. 
We  feed  them  lightly  until  November,  when  we 
generally  mate  them.  We  try  not  to  force  them  this 
year,  thinking  that  it  destroys  the  vitality  of  the  birds 
and  the  fertility  of  the  eggs,  and  so  we  feed  what  we 
call  "harmless  food" — largely  clover,  perhaps  one  part 
clover  and  three  parts  bran  and  two  parts  corn  meal, 
and  no  beef  scraps.  It  is  not  the  question  how  many 
eggs  they  lay,  but  what  we  get  out  of  them.  As  a  rule 
we  get  less  than  lOO  eggs  rather  than  over.  I  think 
that  ninety  is  nearer  what  we  really  get.  Now  if  we 
get  only  ninety,  it  is  a  great  point  to  get  ninety  good 
eggs,  rather  than  so  many  poor  ones.  By  forcing  we 
destroy  the  fertility,  yet  the  eggs  are  quite  profitable 
if  it  does  not  take  too  much  out  of  the  breeding  stock 
to  get  them.  I  would  prefer  not  to  have  them  begin 
to  lay  before  some  time  in  February.  The  first  few 
eggs  laid  will  not  be  very  valuable,  they  are  almost 
always  infertile;  perhaps  the  first  two  or  three  eggs 
from  each  breeder,  and  the  first  machinefuls  do  not 
average  more  than  forty  per  cent  fertile.  If  you  hatch 
twenty-five  per  cent  of  them  it  will  be  doing  well.  If 
you  try  the  eggs  you  will  see  that  thirty-five  or  forty 
per  cent  comes  nearer  the  average.  After  starting  to 
hatch  with  hens  and  machines  you  will  probably  find 
that  you  average  more  with  hens  than  machines,  but 
if  you  average  in  either  case  fifty  per  cent  you  will 
be  doing  well,  and  even  forty  per  cent  will  be  doing 
fairly  well.  From  the  forty  per  cent  you  will  naturally 
expect  to  raise  eighty-five  to  ninety  per  cent  of  the 
ducklings,  and  that  is  all  that  you  can  expect,  and 


236  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

seventy-five  per  cent  will  often  cover  those  raised  by- 
experts. 

We  feed  the  old  breeding  ducks,  before  we  begin 
to  force  them  for  eggs,  about  a  third  clover  and  some- 
times plain  hay  and  the  rest  bran  and  meal.  The  idea 
is  to  fill  them  up  with  something  bulky  and  when  they 
begin  to  lay  we  begin  with  five  per  cent  of  beef  scrap 
and  work  up  gradually,  until  in  a  week  or  so  we  will 
be  giving  them  ten  or  twelve  per  cent.  W'q  keep  water 
before  them  all  the  time.  At  a  season  of  the  year 
when  it  is  possible  we  let  them  have  it  for  swimming. — 
[George  H.  Pollard,  Bristol  County,  Mass. 

In  starting  in  the  duck  business  the  most  impor- 
tant question  that  arises  is  personal  adaptability.  One 
must  enjoy  caring  for  the  poultry,  besides  doing  con- 
scientious work.  The  money  that  is  in  the  duck  busi- 
ness attracts  a  great  many  people.  \Ye  always  recom- 
mend starting  in  a  small  way,  and  if  successful,  go 
right  ahead.  The  man  who  starts  a  $10,000  plant  with 
a  rush  is  usually  in  at  the  death.  If  one  already  owns 
a  farm,  $1000  capital  would  give  one  a  good  start 
in  the  business;  such  an  amount  would  be  sufficient 
to  cover  all  expenses — two  incubators,  a  flock  of  about 
thirty  ducks,  a  house  for  the  breeders,  a  brooding 
house  and  heater,  feed  boards  and  water  fountains, 
wire  fencing,  etc.  Such  a  plant  would  keep  one  man 
busy  and  the  future  growth  of  his  plant  could  be 
built  on  the  profits. 

In  buying  breeding  birds  our  experience  tells  us 
that  it  is  folly  to  breed  from  small,  undersized  birds, 
and  our  advice  to  beginners  is  to  get  only  the  best; 
begin  right.  One  pound  difference  in  the  weight  of 
each  market  bird  makes  quite  a  difference  in  the 
receipts  at  the  end  of  the  season. 

The  most  suitable  land  for  a  duck  farm  is  either 
sand  or  gravel,  with  a  slope  sufficient  to  give  good 


WATERFOWL  237 

drainage.  We  have  never  kept  our  ducks  in  a  marsh, 
or  let  them  swim  in  water;  but  we  think  it  would  be 
an  advantage  to  give  the  breeding  ducks  a  marshy 
range  if  convenient.  Pekin  ducks  never  wander  far 
from  their  night  quarters,  even  when  they  have 
unlimited  range.  The  ducks  lay  their  eggs  in  the 
night,  or  very  early  in  the  morning.  As  a  regular 
thing  we  gather  them  about  8  o'clock,  but  if  the 
weather  is  extremely  cold,  we  get  them  just  as  soon  as 
it  is  light,  to  prevent  any  from  freezing.  We  supply 
no  nests  for  the  ducks  to  lay  in.  They  prefer  to  make 
their  own  nests  in  the  different  corners  of  the  pen. 
The  pens  should  be  large  enough  to  accommodate  the 
number  of  birds  put  into  them  without  crowding.  We 
allow  eight  square  feet  to  each  bird,  say  forty 
ducks  to  a  pen  twenty-four  by  fifteen  feet. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  season  when  the  prices 
are  very  high,  we  begin  to  market  our  ducklings  when 
they  are  nine  weeks  old.  Later  on,  as  the  price  drops, 
we  let  them  go  till  they  are  ten  or  eleven  weeks  old.  In 
the  hight  of  the  season,  we  market  on  an  average  nine 
hundred  ducks  per  week.  It  takes  four  men  to  dress 
that  number.  We  usually  begin  to  market  the  birds 
the  last  week  in  March,  and  continue  until  Thanks- 
giving time. 

On  a  large  plant  one  must  expect  a  greater  per- 
centage of  mortality  among  the  young  stock  than 
where  only  a  few  hundred  are  raised.  Our  loss  is 
estimated  at  fifteen  per  cent  right  through  the  season. 
The  average  annual  egg  production  is  from  130  to  140. 
The  duck,  when  she  begins  laying  her  eggs  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  winter,  is  somewhat  different  from  a  hen. 
When  she  begins  she  will  lay  one  egg  and  then  rest 
two  or  three  days,  then  lay  a  few  more,  and  then  start 
in  for  good,  and  never  stop  until  she  has  laid  her  last 
egg  in  the  fall. — [John  Weber,  Norfolk  County,  Mass. 


238 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


Growing  ducks  require  a  plentiful  supply  of  fresh 
water.  About  the  only  neglect  that  will  kill  young 
ducks  is  failure  to  provide  them  with  plenty  of  fresh 
water,  in  a  vessel  deep  enough  for  them  to  get  their 
heads  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water.  One  of  the 
new  diseases  to  which  ducklings  are  subject  is  sore 
eyes.  This  may  be  avoided  if  they  have  water  con- 
stantly before  them,  deep  enough  to  get  their  heads  in 
and  keep  the  eyes  washed.  A  cheap  and  convenient 
water  tank  for  ducks  may  be  made  of  the  bottom  third 
of  an  old  barrel.  Saw  the  barrel  off  just  above  the 
second  pair  of  hoops,  making  sure  that  the  bottom  is 
whole.  Bore  an  inch  hole  in  the  bottom,  and  fit  with 
a  soft  pine  plug,  and  you  have  a  cheap  and  convenient 
tank  that  only  requires 
to  be  properly  set  in 
the  ground  to  be 
ready  for  use. 

The  best  way  to  set 
such  a  tank  is  to  dig 
a  hole  deep  enough  to 
make  a  blind  drain  of 
stones;  on  these  stones 
arrange  four  bricks  to 
support  the  tank,  and 
fill  in  about  it  with 
earth  firmly  packed  ^^^-  QS-water  tank  for 
down.  Figure  98  shows  ducks 

a  section  of  tank  so  made,  and  the  manner  of  making 
drain  and  the  arrangement  of  the  bricks. 

The  tank  is  emptied  daily  by  pulling  out  the  plug. 
It  takes  about  two  water  buckets  full  to  fill  the  tank 
even  full.  When  the  drain  becomes  foul  and  gives  off 
a  bad  odor,  it  can  be  thoroughly  cleansed  by  pouring 
into  it  a  bucket  of  water  in  which  has  been  dissolved 
two  tablespoonfuls  of  sulpho-napthol.    After  using  the 


WATERFOWL  239 

disinfectant,  rinse  the  tank  before  refilling.    Properly 
constructed  the  tank  will  last  a  long  time. 

The  breeding  ducks  keep  clean  and  do  better  if 
they  can  have  water  to  swim  in.  The  eggs  are  more 
fertile,  for  they  copulate  in  the  water.  Where  no  pond 
or  stream  is  at  hand  a  small  pool  can  easily  be  made 
for  them.  Dig  a  square  hole  eight  inches  deep  and  as 
large  as  desired.  Put  eight-inch  boards  around  the 
sides.  Now  tamp  down  the  bottom  hard  and  level, 
and  coat  the  surface  with  an  inch  of  cement,  bringing 
the  coating  up  to  the  top  of  the  boards  at  the  sides, 
of  the  same  thickness  as  the  bottom.  Drive  shingle 
nails  thickly  into  the  boards  to  give  the  cement  some- 
thing to  cling  to.  In  the  same  way  a  pool  for  a  "water 
garden"  can  be  made  for  the  growing  of  aquatic 
plants.  Keep  this  filled  and  clean  out  frequently,  for 
it  is  quickly  fouled. 

CARE  OF  YOUNG  DUCKS 

The  ducklings  are  left  for  twenty- four  to  thirty- 
six  hours  in  the  incubator  to  dry  off  and  get  upon 
their  feet,  during  which  time  they  receive  no  food  or 
water.  Then  they  go  to  the  brooder  houses,  which  in 
large  establishments  are  heated  with  hot  water  pipes. 
The  pens  are  three  or  four  feet  wide  by  ten  feet  long, 
with  a  passageway  along  the  back,  and  each  pen  holds 
from  seventy-five  to  150  ducklings.  Here  the  duck- 
lings receive  their  first  meal,  which  is  the  same  as  the 
regular  rations  which  they  are  to  receive  afterward, 
viz,  a  mash  of  two-thirds  bran  and  one-third  corn 
meal,  mixed  with  cold  water  or  skimmilk.  Ducks 
intended  for  market  are  not  fed  green  stuff  and  an 
exclusive  grain  diet  seems  to  give  a  firmer  flesh. 
After  the  first  four  days  the  feed  consists  of  corn 
meal  and  bran  in  equal  parts  and  about  one  pound  in 


240 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


twenty  of  beef  scraps.  The  amount  of  beef  scraps  is 
increased  until  at  three  weeks  old  they  get  about  one- 
eighth  scraps.  This  proportion  is  kept  up  until  the) 
are  ready  for  market.  This  ration  gives  a  white- 
skinned  duck  free  from  flabbiness.  The  houses  aid 
runs  on  a  California  duck  ranch  are  shown  in 
ure  99. 


Fig- 


HANDLING    THE    BREEDING    STOCK 

The   birds   should   be   housed   in   warm   quarters 
before  the  first  of  December,  placing  from  thirty  to 


FIG.  99 — A  FEW  PEKINS  ON  A  CALIFORNIA  DUCK  RANCH 


thirty-five  together  in  a  pen.  Twelve  by  twenty  feel 
will  be  large  enough,  if  kept  clean,  with  a  yard  of 
corresponding  width  outside  100  feet  long.  This  will 
give  the  birds  room  enough  to  exercise  in.  These 
yards  should  have  natural  drainage,  otherwise  they 
will  soon  become  filthy  in  the  extreme.     There  is  no 


WATERFOWL  24I 

harm  in  letting  the  birds  out  on  pleasant  days  during 
the  winter;  snow  is  no  objection,  provided  the 
weather  is  not  too  cold.  They  enjoy  it  hugely,  espe- 
cially during  a  thaw.  The  pens  inside  should  be  kept 
dry  and  free  from  odors.  This  is  absolutely  essential, 
for  though  ducks  are  not  as  subject  to  disease  as  hens, 
they  will  not  thrive  in  filth.  Too  often  the  health  of 
the  young  bird  is  injured  by  the  improper  feeding  of 
the  mother  bird  during  the  laying  season.  This  food 
should  consist  of  the  proper  ingredients,  in  quantity 
just  what  the  bird  will  eat  clean,  and  no  more.  Grit 
is  absolutely  necessary,  and  is  one  of  the  essentials. 
We  not  only  keep  it,  together  with  cracked  oyster 
shells,  in  boxes  constantly  by  them,  but  mix  it  in  their 
food.  They  must  have  something  during  their  con- 
finement during  inclement  weather  to  enable  them  to 
assimilate  their  food.  One  ingredient  which  we  con- 
siaer  of  the  greatest  importance  is  green  food,  which 
should  compose  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  whole.  We 
use  green  rye  which  is  cut  three-eighths  of  an  inch 
long,  and  mixed  with  the  food.  When  there  is  prospect 
of  snow  we  cut  large  quantities  of  this  in  a  frozen 
state  and  pile  it  up  on  the  north  side  of  a  building. 
It  will  not  heat  in  this  condition.  Should  this  be 
used  up,  and  the  ground  still  be  covered  with  snow, 
we  have  several  tons  of  fine  clover  rowen  stored  for 
the  purpose,  which  we  consider  next  in  value  to  the 
rye,  so  that  we  are  never  out  of  that  material  for 
feeding.  We  also  grow  about  looo  bushels  of  turnips, 
which  we  steam  until  they  are  soft,  and  mix  them  in 
the  food.  This  the  birds  relish  highly.  My  formula 
for  feeding  breeding  and  laying  birds,  when  fertile 
eggs  are  desired,  is  as  follows:  For  breeding  birds 
(old  and  young,  during  the  fall),  feed  three  parts  of 
wheat  bran,  one  part  of  Quaker  oat  feed,  one  part 
corn  meal,  five  per  cent  of  beef  scrap,  five  per  ceni  of 


242  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

grit,  and  all  the  green  food  they  will  eat,  in  the  shape 
of  corn  fodder  cut  fine,  clover  or  oat  fodder.  Feed 
this  mixture  twice  a  day,  all  they  will  eat.  For  laying 
birds,  equal  parts  of  wheat  bran  and  corn  meal,  twenty 
per  cent  of  Quaker  oat  feed,  ten  per  cent  of  boiled 
potatoes  or  turnips  fifteen  per  cent  of  clover  rowen, 
green  rye,  or  refuse  cabbage,  chopped  fine,  five  per  cent 
of  grit.  Feed  twice  a  day  all  they  will  eat,  with  a 
lunch  of  corn  and  oats  at  noon.  Keep  grit  and  ground 
oyster  shells  constantly  by  them.  We  never  cook  the 
food  for  our  ducks,  after  they  are  a  week  old,  but  mix 
it  up  with  cold  water. —  [James  Rankin,  Bristol 
County,  Mass. 

WINTER    QUARTERS    FOR    DUCKS    AND    GEESE 

Ducks  and  geese  need  dry  winter  quarters.  This 
is  absolutely  essential.  Scarcity  of  bedding  or  a  low, 
damp  floor  will  soon  put  a  whole  flock  out  of  business. 
Rheumatism  or  leg  weakness,  accompanied  by  a  gen- 
eral falling  off  in  flesh,  is  the  inevitable  result  of  damp 
quarters.  As  breeding  birds  in  off  condition  during 
the  winter  cannot  possibly  be  early  spring  producers, 
the  far-reaching  results  of  a  little  neglect  practiced 
now,  probably  in  ignorance,  are  often  visibly  felt  in 
the  receipts  at  the  end  of  a  season. 

Any  shed  that  bids  defiance  to  winds  and  rain 
and  that  has  a  floor  at  least  six  inches  higher  than  the 
surrounding  ground,  is  a  fit  place  for  quartering 
waterfowl  during  the  inclement  season.  Feed  the 
ducks  near  this  shed  at  night  and  as  soon  as  they  have 
done  justice  to  their  meal  drive  them  slowly  without 
undue  excitement  into  their  quarters.  The  best  door 
for  this  purpose  is  even  with  the  ground,  two  feet  high 
by  three  or  four  feet  wide,  fastened  on  hinges  at  the 
top  and  hooked,  when  open,  with  an  iron  hook  on  it? 


WATERFOWL  243 

Upper  edge.  A  button  on  its  lower  side  will  secure  the 
door  during  the  night.  As  this  shed  is  aimed  mainly 
to  be  night  quarters,  one  four  or  six-pane  sash  is  ample 
to  admit  sufficient  light  for  the  few  days  or  hours  of 
really  bad  weather  when  ^he  birds  must  remain 
indoors. 

A  shed  eight  by  ten  feet  of  floor  space,  six  feet 
high  in  front  and  four  feet  in  rear,  is  large  enough 
to  hold  comfortably  from  twelve  to  twenty  ducks  or 
from  six  to  ten  geese.  Let  the  temperature  be  your 
guide  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  air  inside.  If  you  find 
upon  opening  the  house  in  the  morning,  that  all  walls 
are  damp  and  the  air  close,  ventilate  more  thereafter. 

The  mixing  of  ducks  and  geese  in  one  shed  cannot 
be  recommended,  as  owing  to  the  quarrelsome  habits 
of  geese,  the  ducks  would  not  get  the  peace  and  rest 
they  must  have  at  night  in  order  to  produce  best 
results.  Teach  your  geese  from  the  beginning  that 
they  must  not  feed  or  mix  with  the  ducks  and  soon 
they  will  not  trouble  you  any  more,  when  attending  to 
the  latter.  Geese  are  not  in  need  of  a  closed  shed, 
such  as  mentioned,  but  should  such  a  one  be  allowed 
them,  leave  the  door  open,  as  they  always  need  plenty 
of  fresh  air.  In  order  to  make  their  home  attractive 
to  them,  provide  empty  barrels  in  all  corners  laid  side- 
ways and  securely  fastened  down;  half  fill  them  with 
straw  and  add  a  few  china  nest  eggs.  This  will  save 
many  a  step  in  spring  hunting  their  eggs.  Make  them 
familiar  with  their  surroundings  and  future  nests  and 
eggs  stolen  away  will  become  rarities.  Ducks  lay  at 
night  or  early  in  the  morning  and  should  be  confined 
during  the  laying  season  until  8  or  9  o'clock  in  order 
that  all  eggs  may  be  saved. 


244  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

KILLING  AND  PICKING  DUCKS 

The  Muscovy  and  Pekin  ducks  are  the  leading 
market  birds.  The  Muscovy  has  to  be  from  two  to 
four  weeks  older  than  the  Pekin  before  it  can  be 
dressed,  and  is  sometimes  four  months  old  when  killed. 
After  a  duck  gets  its  age  it  is  rather  deceptive  as  to 
weight,  as  it  is  then  fat  and  solid.  Pure-bred  Pekins 
of  proper  grade  should  weigh  about  eleven  pounds 
per  pair  at  eleven  weeks  old.  The  smaller  birds  serve 
a  purpose  in  hotels  and  restaurants.  A  quarter  of  a 
bird  is  served  to  each  customer,  and  in  that  way  the 
smaller  birds  answer  the  purpose  just  as  well  as  the 
larger,  nicer-looking  ones.  It  does  not  pay  to  raise 
these  small  birds  as  well  as  it  does  to  raise  the  large 
ones,  for  it  costs  just  as  much  to  raise,  dress  and 
market  them,  and  they  will  not  reach  the  largest  birds 
by  one  cent  per  pound,  though  there  is  a  season  when 
there  is  a  call  for  the  small  birds.  One  great  draw- 
back with  ducks  is  that  the  shrinkage  is  so  great  as 
compared  with  other  poultry  that  it  seems  a  high- 
priced  meat. 

In  different  parts  of  the  country,  modes  of  dress- 
ing differ.  In  the  west  they  are  headed  and  drawn 
and  sometimes  scalded,  but  generally  dry  picked.  A 
dry-picked  bird  holds  its  color  better  than  one  scalded. 
Scalded  birds  appear  puffy  and  are  likely  to  turn  dark 
by  exposure  to  the  air.  The  market  price  of  scalded 
birds  would  be  from  two  to  four  cents  per  pound  less 
than  for  dry-picked  birds.  In  New  England  scalded 
birds  could  not  be  sold  unless  there  was  a  shortage  in 
the  market. 

Green  ducks  are  shipped  with  heads  on  and 
undrawn.  They  are  picked  down  one-half  of  the  neck 
and  to  the  first  wing  joint.  The  feathers  from  the 
white  ducks  are  quite  valuable,  being  worth  thirty- 


WATERFOWL 


245 


seven  to  thirty-nine  cents  per  pound,  and  colored  ones 
seventeen  to  twenty-three  cents.  The  feathers  would 
make  quite  a  difference  in  the  season's  profit  were  you 
using  colored  or  white  birds.  You  cannot  get  the 
colored  birds  without  the  colored  pinfeathers,  and  of 
all  distressing  sights  for  the  poultryman,  a  bird  shot 
with  pinfeathers  is  the  worst.  At  the  stage  when  they 
should  be  dressed  for  the  greatest  profit,  if  the  pin- 
feathers are  thick  all  over  the  bird,  it  is  impossible  to 
dress  them  so  that  they  will  not  have  a  badly  tattooed 
appearance.  Pekin  ducks  as  compared  with  Muscovys 
would  dress  at  ten  weeks,  while  the  Muscovys  would 
dress  at  fourteen.  At  twelve  weeks  the  Pekin  would 
require  little  pinfeathering. 

After  killing,  which  is  done  by  cutting  in  the  roof 
of  the  mouth,  and  picking,  the  birds  should,  in  warm 
weather,  be  thrown  into  cold  water  immediately  after 
picking  and  allowed  to  soak  for  an  hour  or  two.  Then 
the  blood  is  washed  out  of  the  head  and  bill  and  feath- 
ers and  they  are  thrown  into  a  tank  of  ice  water.  By 
putting  them  in  the  warmer  water  first,  it  swells  the 
flesh  and  closes  the  pores,  then  by  putting  them  into 
the  ice  water  all  the  remaining  animal  heat  is  expelled 
and  they  are  left  white,  hard  and  firm.  To  give  them 
the  best  shape  they  should  be  tied  before  going  into 
the  water.  If  the  wings  are  folded  close  to  the  sides  of 
the  body  and  tied  down,  and  the  birds  are  put  into  the 
water,  it  gives  them  a  better  shape  and  appearance  for 
market.  In  shipping,  they  can  be  kept  from  twenty- 
four  to  forty-eight  hours  in  ice  water  but  if  kept 
longer  than  that  they  should  be  packed  in  ice.  In  ship- 
ping them  to  market,  pack  them  in  the  same  way  if  it 
is  a  two  or  three  hours'  journey.  Put  In  a  barrel  a 
layer  of  ice,  then  a  layer  of  ducks,  and  on  top  of  all 
put  a  layer  of  ice.  The  ice  water  trickling  down 
among  the  ducks  keeps  them  in  good  shape. 


246  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

BREEDS  OF  DUCKS 

There  are  several  breeds  of  ducks  but  only  three 
kinds  are  popular  with  poultry  keepers.     These  are 


FIG.    100 — PEKIN  DUCK 


Pekin,  Muscovy  and  Indian  Runner.     There  are  sev- 
eral other  breeds  which  are  kept  mainly   for  fancy 


WATERFOWL 


247 


purposes,  yet  for  the  farm  have  some  points  of  superi  • 
ority  to  those  mentioned. 

Pckins  are  most  popular  because  of  their  earl} 
maturity,  large  size  and  prolific  ^gg  yield.  They  are 
kept  almost  exclusively  by  the  large  duck  raisers  who 
grow  thousands  annually.  Figures  99  and  100  show 
a  typical  duck  ranch  and  individual  bird.  Standard 
weights  are,  adult  drake,  eight  pounds;  duck  and 
young  drake,  seven  pounds;  young  duck,  six  pounds. 


FIG.   lOI — AN  OBJECT  LESSON  IN  DUCK  KEEPING 


The  Indian  Runner  is  a  breed  rapidly  coming  into 
popularity.  It  is  aptly  termed  the  Leghorn  of  the 
duck  family,  for  it  is  a  wonderful  layer.  Figure  loi 
gives  a  good  illustration  of  the  capacity  of  this  breed. 
A  good  drake  is  shown  in  Figure  102.  They  are 
much  smaller  than  Pekins,  standard  weights  being, 
drake,  four  and  one-half  pounds;  duck,  four  pounds. 
They  are  quite  beautiful  to  look  upon,  the  plumage 
being  light  fawn  or  gray  and  white. 


248 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


The  Muscovy  is  the  largest  of  all  ducks,  the 
standard  weights  being,  adult  drake,  ten  pounds ;  duck 
and  young  drake,  eight  pounds;  young  duck,  seven 
pounds.  As  commonly  bred  the  drakes  are  much 
larger  than  the  ducks.    They  have  a  peculiar  appear- 


FIG.    102 INDIAN   RUNNER   DRAKE 


ance  owing  to  the  long,  crest-like  feathers  on  the 
head,  the  sides  of  which  and  the  face  are  covered  with 
caruncles.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  White  and 
Colored,  the  plumage  of  the  latter  being  a  mixture  of 
glossy  black  and  white. 


WATERFOWL  249 

Other  Varieties — The  Rouen,  which  is  larger 
than  the  Pekin,  is  very  beautiful  owing  to  the  rich 
shades  and  markings  of  the  plumage.  The  flesh  is 
considered  superior  to  that  of  the  Pekins.  The 
Aylesbury,  a  large,  white  breed,  very  popular  in 
England,  is  little  seen  in  America.  Cayuga  ducks  are 
black  and  of  the  same  size  as  Pekins.  There  are  two 
varieties  of  Call  ducks,  the  Gray  and  the  White.  These 
are  smaller  and  kept  mainly  for  ornamental  purposes. 
The  Black  East  India  ducks  are  another  fancier's 
breed,  likewise  the  Crested  White,  which  are  large. 
The  Blue  Swedish  is  a  new  breed  to  this  country,  a 
native  of  northern  Europe,  hardy,  exceptionally  good 
layers,  and  the  meat  is  of  fine  quality.  They  have 
delicate  plumage.  The  White  Muscovy  is  probably 
the  quietest  of  all  breeds,  the  Pekin  the  noisiest. 

KEEPING  GEESE  FOR  PROFIT 

The  two  great  objections  to  geese  are  the  noise 
they  make  and  the  fact  that  they  spoil  a  pasture  for 
other  stock.  Cattle  or  sheep  do  not  like  to  graze  where 
geese  have  been.  Yet  there  should  be  a  place  for 
them  on  many  more  farms  than  they  now  occupy. 
Under  the  right  conditions  geese  give  better  returns 
than  any  other  poultry.  By  nature  geese  are  more 
like  a  sheep  or  cow  in  habit  of  feeding  than  like 
poultry.  They  are  essentially  grazing  animals  and  too 
much  grain  will  spoil  them.  Pure  air  is  of  even  more 
importance  to  geese  than  to  cattle.  They  will  not 
thrive  if  shut  up  in  buildings.  If  you  have  not  a 
good  pasture,  do  not  try  to  keep  geese,  or  at  least  to 
raise  many  goslings.  They  can,  however,  be  kept  in 
yards,  if  fed  an  abundance  of  fodder  corn,  green  rape, 
clover  or  other  green  feed,  but  this  adds  greatly  to  the 
expense. 


250  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

While  green  pasture  is  important  for  maintaining 
old  geese,  it  is  indispensable  food  for  young  goslings. 
They  must  have  fresh,  tender  grass  in  abundance  at  all 
times  during  the  day,  from  the  first  day  they  eat  to  the 
time  they  are  well  feathered  and  have  grown  their 
wings.  After  that,  those  intended  for  market  may  be 
penned  and  fed  green  stuff  and  grain,  but  those 
intended  for  breeding  should  continue  to  have  pasture 
and  free  range.  If  a  large  flock  is  raised,  quite  a 
pasture  is  needed  to  sustain  them.  It  takes  geese 
almost  as  long  to  reach  full  development  as  it  does 
cattle  or  sheep,  but  they  remain  profitable  for  many 
years.  Yearling  geese  are  very  poor  breeders,  two- 
year-olds  are  better,  and  they  only  reach  their  best  at 
three  years  of  age. 

If  one  wishes  to  make  a  start  in  keeping  geese, 
the  best  plan  is  to  buy  breeding  stock  early  in  the  fall. 
They  must  not  only  become  accustomed  to  their  new 
quarters,  but  to  each  other,  for  geese  do  not  mate 
readily  and  if  put  together  after  January  i  will  often 
fail  to  breed  that  year.  Old,  well-mated  geese  of  the 
highest  quality  are  the  cheapest  and  most  profitable 
to  buy.  The  best  way  to  get  the  finest  geese  is  to  buy 
young  ones,  and  to  order  them  before  they  are 
hatched.  Have  the  large  early  hatched  specimens 
selected  for  you  and  delivered  early  in  the  fall.  They 
must  be  kept  at  least  one  year  without  profit  and  two 
years  before  they  will  do  their  best,  but  in  this  way 
one  knows  the  age  of  his  stock,  and  in  the  end  will 
get  better  results. 

MONEY    IN    GOOSE    FARMING 

The  breeding  and  growing  of  geese  on  a  large 
scale  for  market  and  egg  purposes  could  undoubtedly 
be  made  profitable  if  handled  in  a  practical  manner. 


WATERFOWL 


251 


It  would  be  necessary  to  have  farm  range  with  plenty 
of  pasture  and  sufficient  water  for  the  birds.  It  would 
not  be  necessary  to  have  a  small  lake,  as  spring  water 
or  pond  water  is  sufficient.  Geese,  as  a  rule,  do  not 
require  much  grain,  as  the  young  feed  almost  entirely 
on  pasture. 

Our  best  goslings  are  grown  to  about  five  months 
of  age  with  less  than  one  peck  of  grain  each.  After 
that  age,  if  good  weights  are  desired,  furnish  them 
with  grain  food.  The  mature  or  breeding  stock  should 
be  fed  very  lightly  during  the  spring  and  summer 
months,  as  overfattened  specimens  are  usually  entirely 
worthless  as  breeders.  The  leading  varieties  for  both 
market  and  egg  purposes  are  the  Toulouse,  Embden, 
African,  White  and  Brown  Chinese.  As  a  general 
purpose  goose,  in  my  opinion,  the  Toulouse  leads  all 
other  varieties ;  the  Embdens  are  about  the  same  size 
as  the  Toulouse,  but  much  poorer  layers.  The  Chinese 
are  a  smaller  goose,  but  the  best  layers  of  any  variety. 
We  have  produced  large  numbers  of  young  Toulouse 
at  six  months  of  age,  weighing  on  an  average  of 
thirty-two  to  thirty-five  pounds  per  pair,  and  Chinese 
averaging  at  six  months  of  age,  when  in  good  flesh, 
twenty-four  to  twenty-eight  pounds  per  pair.  To 
obtain  the  best  results  in  hatching  it  is  necessary  to 
use  common  hens  to  hatch  and  care  for  the  young 
goslings.  After  the  goslings  are  eight  weeks  old  they 
may  be  safely  turned  in  the  field  with  the  old  geese. 
The  young  goslings  after  a  week  old  should  have  free 
access  to  plenty  of  fresh,  green  grass,  when  no  grain 
food  will  be  required.  Young  goslings  are  very  rapid 
growers  and  at  eight  weeks  old  will  be  over  one-half 
grown,  if  properly  cared  for. 

Considerable  revenue  may  be  obtained  from  the 
feathers  by  picking  the  mature  specimens  some  four 
or  five  times  during  the  spring  and  summer  months. 


252  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

and  early  goslings  may  be  also  picked  during  the  latter 
part  of  August  and  again  in  October,  provided  they 
are  not  being  fattened  for  market.  It  would  not  be 
necessary  to  secure  the  best  farming  land  for  geese 
raising;  on  the  other  hand,  geese  would  thrive  much 
better  in  low,  marshy  land  which  had  not  been  under- 
drained.  If  properly  handled  I  see  no  reason  why 
this  industry  should  not  prove  a  financial  success. — 
[Charles  McClave,  Ohio. 

CARE   OF    BREEDING    GEESE 

Two  geese  are  usually  sufficient  for  each  gander, 
and  they  would  do  better  to  be  in  pairs  during  the 
breeding  season.  About  February,  when  the  geese 
begin  to  talk  "goose  talk,"  about  building  a  nest,  the 
ganders  will  begin  to  tell  you  how  many  there  are  of 
them,  which  fact  you  might  not  have  known  before,  for 
it  is  very  difficult  to  distinguish  the  sex  in  geese.  This 
distinction  is  very  easily  made  by  the  ganders,  who 
begin  to  decide  supremacy.  One  gander  will  drive  all 
others  out  of  the  pen,  if  they  can  get  out,  or  injure 
them  quite  severely  if  they  cannot  keep  out  of  his  way. 

Now  is  a  good  time  to  divide  the  flock.  Leave 
one  or  two  geese  with  the  boss  gander,  and  remove  the 
others  to  another  pen,  and  in  the  same  way  continue 
to  single  out  pairs  or  trios  until  you  have  them  all 
separate.  This  is  only  for  the  starting  year.  After 
they  are  separated  put  leg  bands  on  them  and  record 
the  same  for  future  reference.  It's  a  difficult  matter 
to  distinguish  the  young  from  the  old  in  the  fall,  and 
the  use  of  the  leg  band  is  the  only  way  out  of  the 
difficulty.  If  holes  are  punched  in  the  web  of  their 
feet  they  will  grow  up  after  a  while,  and  the  scar  can 
hardly  be  found. 


WATERFOWL  253 

Each  pair  or  trio  should  have  a  separate  room  or 
small  house  with  yard  attached  in  which  they  should 
be  kept  from  the  time  they  begin  to  mate  till  the 
goslings  are  able  to  follow  their  parents  without  get- 
ting tired  out,  when  it  will  do  to  allow  them  free 
range.  The  old  geese  will  generally  come  to  the 
house  at  night  for  several  weeks  after  the  goslings 
are  hatched,  and  frequent  the  building  during  storms 
as  long  as  the  goslings  remain  unfeathered,  after 
which  they  will  stop  outside  night  and  day. 

For  the  reason  that  the  three  geese  with  their 
goslings  are  liable  to  need  shelter  even  after  nearly 
full  grown,  a  pen  eight  by  ten  feet  will  be  none  too 
large  for  each  trio.  A  yard  twenty  by  forty  feet  will 
do  during  the  breeding  season,  but  if  kept  in  a  yard 
of  this  size  they  must  be  supplied  with  green  stuff. 
That  is  the  first  thing  the  goslings  want  for  feed,  and 
the  sooner  they  are  let  out  on  free  range  the  better. 
As  a  rule  each  flock  will  keep  separate  during  the 
entire  summer.  An  occasional  fight  between  ganders 
may  take  place.  If  a  gander  is  very  mean  about 
fighting,  better  shut  him  up  than  the  whole  family, 
for  it's  the  gander  only  that  will  fight. —  [E.  F.  Barry. 

Geese  are  quite  partial  to  their  mates.  One  old 
gander  does  not  like  to  change  his  mate  every  year 
and  there  is  often  trouble  from  a  change.  They  will 
not  try  to  get  out  of  a  lot  unless  separated 
from  mates,  when  they  will  try  very  hard  and  often 
succeed.  A  gander  should  never  be  kept  longer  than 
three  years,  as  young  ganders  insure  greater  fertility 
in  the  eggs.  On  the  contrary,  a  goose  of  three  years 
or  over  will  lay  more  eggs  and  more  fertile  ones  than 
will  a  younger  one.  In  goose  raising  there  is  the 
further  advantage  that  a  large  number  can  run 
together  without  proportionally  decreasing  the  profits, 
as  with  other  fowls.     For  breeders,  select  large  birds 


254  MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 

and  those  having  a  record  as  being  early  and  good 
layers.  Of  most  varieties  mate  one  gander  to  two  or 
three  geese,  possioly  to  four.  An  Embden  gander 
will  care  for  eight  or  ten,  and  an  African  for  from 
fifteen  to  twenty. 

A  low  shed,  open  to  the  south_,  with  straw  on  the 
floor,  is  all  the  shelter  they  usually  need.  They  lay 
early  in  the  morning,  and  should  be  penned  until  9 
a.  m.  in  order  that  all  the  eggs  may  be  gathered. 
Boxes  and  barrels  on  their  sides  make  good  nests  for 
them,  or  Jacking  these,  geese  will  make  their  own 
nests   of  the   litter   on   the   floor. 

They  commence  to  lay  in  March.  The  first  clutch 
is  ten  to  fifteen  eggs,  sometimes  more.  If  not  allowed 
to  sit  the  goose  will  soon  commence  laying  again 
and  lay  eight  to  ten  eggs,  and  if  not  set  will  lay  the 
third  clutch  of  a  few  eggs,  but  the  latter  are  not  very 
fertile  and  the  young  are  difficult  to  raise  late.  The 
early  eggs  are  quite  fertile.  To  get  best  hatches,  the 
eggs  should  be  gathered  shortly  after  being  laid,  and 
well  cared  for,  and  in  a  reasonable  time  set  in  a 
warm  place  under  a  heavy  hen.  If  well  incubated  the 
eggs  hatch  in  twenty-eight  days,  but  if  not  it  will  take 
thirty  days;  in  the  latter  case  one  cannot  expect  a 
good  hatch. 

Breeding  stock  during  winter  should  have  free 
access  at  any  time  to  a  trough  containing  whole  oats. 
Only  on  very  severe  days  a  little  whole  corn  might  be 
given  to  keep  them  warm  over  night.  The  tendency  of 
all  geese  is  to  lay  on  fat,  and  our  efforts  in  conse- 
quence must  be  to  keep  the  breeding  stock  from  get- 
ting fat,  that  strong  fertilizers  and  good  hatching 
eggs  may  be  produced. 

Distinguishing  Sex — It  is  almost  impossible  to 
determine  the  sex  of  young  stock.  When  they  begin 
to  mate  one  can  easily  tell  them,  but  no  one  wants  to 


WATERFOWL 


255 


keep  a  flock  until  spring  in  order  to  pick  out  the 
geese  and  ganders.  Lay  the  bird  down  on  a  board 
and  with  the  fingers  you  can  press  out  the  private 
parts  of  the  male.  This  is  the  only  reliable  test  that 
can  be  applied  and  is,  of  course,  conclusive. 

THE     GOOSE     FATTENING     BUSINESS 

This  is  carried  on  quite  largely  by  poultry  keepers 
in  Rhode  Island  and  eastern  Connecticut.  E.  A. 
Cornell  of  Rhode  Island,  who  does  the  largest  busi- 
ness, thus  speaks  of  his  methods:  'T  fatten  from 
12,000  to  15,000  geese  each  season.  I  send  out  teams 
to  pick  them  up,  and  get  them  from  the  middle  of 
April  to  the  last  of  September.  They  are  from  eight 
to  twelve  weeks  old  when  I  begin  to  buy  and  will 
weigh  from  seven  to  nine  pounds  early  in  the  season 
and  later  more.  Through  the  summer  I  put  about  100 
in  a  pen  forty  to  fifty  feet  square.  Corn,  meal  and 
beef  scraps  is  the  feed  used  to  fatten  them.  They  are 
fed  three  times  a  day  and  heaviest  at  night  in  warm 
weather,  as  they  will  eat  better  in  the  cool  of  the  day. 
They  are  fed  from  four  to  seven  weeks.  They  are 
picked  all  but  neck  and  wings  and  packed  in  barrels 
with  ice,  from  fifteen  to  twenty-two  in  a  barrel,  accord- 
ing to  size.  The  average  price  received  is  sixteen 
cents  per  pound.  Later  in  the  season  I  have  the  wild 
mongrels,  which  command  a  higher  price.  They  are 
a  cross  between  the  common  African  or  Embden  and 
the  wild  goose  and  bring  twenty-five  cents  per  pound 
in  market  at  wholesale." 

FEEDING    AND    FATTENING    YOUNG    GEESE 

When  the  young  geese  are  hatched  do  not  give 
them  feed  and  water  for  the  first  thirty-six  hours,  or 


256  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

if  water,  only  a  few  drops  from  the  finger  tips.  Their 
first  feed  should  be  bread  crumbs,  moistened  with 
boiled  sweet  milk,  and  mashed  up  fine  with  a  hard- 
boiled  egg-.  After  that  for  the  first  week  feed  boiled 
oatmeal,  stale  bread,  potatoes,  corn  meal  and  bran 
moistened  with  milk,  or  scalded  meal  and  shorts. 
Then  add  cracked  corn  and  wheat.  When  three  days 
old  feed  all  the  green  food  that  they  will  eat,  young 
sprouting  rye,  clover,  purslane,  onion  tops,  etc.  Have 
plenty  of  water  for  drinking  purposes  near  them,  but 
in  a  vessel  which  they  cannot  get  into,  as  they  should 
be  kept  as  dry  as  possible.  They  should  be  fed  often, 
but  not  more  than  they  will  eat  at  one  feeding.  They 
should  be  kept  clean,  as  they  eat  so  greedily  that  they 
will  devour  droppings  or  anything,  and  filth  is  fatal 
to  them.  They  need  care  for  the  first  two  or  three 
weeks,  after  which  they  will  look  out  for  themselves. 

A  good  pen  in  which  they  can  be  kept  during  this 
time  is  made  of  four  boards  one  to  two  feet  wide  and 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  long,  nailed  together  at  the  corners. 
This  can  be  moved  about  from  place  to  place  over 
patches  of  young  rye  or  tender  grass,  for  a  few  young 
goslings  will  soon  eat  a  place  very  clean  of  green 
food.  They  should  always  be  housed  at  night,  and 
have  shade  accessible  during  the  day,  as  intense  heat 
or  dampness  is  fatal  to  them.  When  young  they 
should  not  be  allowed  to  run  on  the  grass  until  the 
dew  is  off. 

Kill  by .  severing  the  artery  in  the  neck  with  a 
small,  sharp  knife,  or  by  giving  a  sharp  blow  on  the 
head.  Let  them  bleed  hanging  up  for  about  five 
minutes.  Then  plunge  into  boiling  water  for  about 
twelve  seconds,  wrap  in  a  cloth  and  let  steam  for  five 
minutes.  Pick  immediately,  beginning  at  the  head, 
and  the  down  will  come  off  very  easily.  Care  should 
be  exercised  in  plucking  young  goslings,  as  the  skin  is 


WATERFOWL 


2^7 


often  very  tender  and  tears  readily.  Green  goslings, 
as  young  goslings  are  called,  should  not  be  drawn  for 
market.  After  picking  place  in  ice  cold  water  for  an 
hour  to  plump  them. 

In  eight  weeks  geese  can  be  made  to  weigh  eight 
pounds,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months  from  fifteen 
to  eighteen  pounds,  depending  on  the  breed.  Some 
large  varieties  will  weigh  twenty  pounds  the  first 
season.  When  they  are  from  eight  to  ten  weeks  old 
they  can  be  sold  to  those  who  make  a  business  of  fat- 
tening them  for  market,  or  may  be  fattened  at  home, 
when  they  will  bring  much  more.  The  fatter  they  are 
the  better  price  they  will  bring,  especially  in  Jewish 
quarters,  as  the  Jews  make  extensive  use  of  goose  fat. 
The  best  market  for  them  is  in  June  or  early  July. 
If  not  sold  then,  keep  them  and  fatten  for  Christmas. 
Pen  them  three  or  four  weeks  before  selling  them,  first 
putting  them  into  water  to  clean  their  feathers,  and 
then  into  a  pen  with  clean  straw.  Feed  scalded  meal 
in  a  crumbly  state  with  about  one-fifth  part  meat 
scraps,  or  give  cracked  corn  with  water,  or  a  little 
corn  and  always  plenty  of  grass.  They  should  be 
given  all  the  food  they  will  eat.  Keep  them  quiet,  for 
'f  excited  or  disturbed  they  will  not  fatten.  Young 
>'eese  are  ready  for  market  when  the  tips  of  the  wings 
reach  the  tail.— [E.  I.  Cole. 

PICKING   LIVE    GEESE 

Geese  should  not  be  picked  till  after  the  laying 
season  is  over,  as  picking  retards  laying,  and  if  done 
in  cool  weather  subjects  them  to  sickness.  Ganders  are 
first  picked  about  April,  and  every  seven  or  eight 
weeks  thereafter.  In  plucking  a  goose,  draw  a  stock- 
ing over  its  head,  or  you  are  apt  to  be  bitten.  Do 
not  pick  the  feathers  that  cover  the  wing  butts,  as 


258 


MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 


it  will  cause  the  wings  to  drop  and  means  lots  of 
trouble  for  the  goose.  Do  not  pick  feathers  growing 
in  the  back,  or  the  down  on  any  part  of  the  body.  If 
you  tear  the  skin,  which  will  not  happen  unless  you 
take  hold  of  too  many  feathers,  put  on  a  little  pine 
tar. 

VARIETIES    OF    GEESE 

Of  all  the  geese  that  the  American  Standard  of 
Perfection  speaks  of,  only  three  breeds  come  up  to  the 


FIG.     103 — ^TOULOUSE    GANDER 


requirements  of  the  farmer,  who  sees  more  than  any- 
one else  to  the  actual  market  value  of  a  bird,  Toulouse, 


WATERFOWL 


259 


Embdens  and  Africans  are  breeds  that  will  do  their 
best  to  bring  an  extra  penny.  They  have  the  weight 
when  matured  that  makes  them  desirable,  the  hardi- 
ness that  causes  their  eggs  to  hatch  well  and  their 
young  to  live,  and  the  meat  qualities  that  are  in 
demand  in  the  city  markets. 


FIG.    104 — ^AN    EMBDEN    GANDER 

The  Toulouse  (Figure  103)  are  about  as  good 
as  any.  They  are  easily  confined,  as  they  are  too 
heavy  to  fly  and  too  large  to  get  through  a  good  fence, 
are  strong  and  hardy,  small  feeders  and  good  layers, 
commencing  to  lay  early.     They  grow  rapidly,   are 


26o 


MAKING   POULTRY    PAY 


gentle  and  quiet,  weigh  well,  have  good  feathers  and 
many  of  them.  The  principal  objection  to  them  is 
their  color,  which  is  gray. 

The  Emhdcns  (Figure  104)  are  white,  very 
hardy,  weigh  as  much  as  the  Toulouse,  mature  a 
trifle  earlier  and  are  better  mothers. 

The  Chinese  (Brown,  Figure  105,  and  White) 
are  the  best  of  all  layers  and  have  a  graceful,  swan- 


FIG.     105 FLOCK    OF    BROWN     CHINESE    GEESE 


like  look  on  account  of  their  long  necks,  but  are  too 
small  to  be  very  profitable. 

The  Africans  (Figure  106)  grow  the  quickest, 
lay  as  many  eggs  as  the  Toulouse  and  have  very  nice 
flavored  flesh.  They  are  little  known  in  the  west,  but 
are  great  favorites  in  the  east,  many  preferring  them 
to  any  other  breed.  African  geese  have  a  hrge  head 
with  a  large  knob  and  generally  have  a  dewlap  under 
the  throat.  These  and  the  Chinese  geese  are  different 
fr?/a  the  others  in  the  head  and  are  the  only  two 


WATERFOWL 


261 


breeds  that  have  a  knob  on  the  head.  The  bill  of  the 
African  is  rather  large  and  stout  at  the  base  and 
their  necks  are  long. 

The  wild  or  Canada  geese  are  kept  pure  by  a 
few  breeders.     They  are   easily   domesticated.     The 


FIG.     106 PAIR    GRAY    AFRICAN    GEESE 

ganders   are   used   largely   for   crossing  to   give   the 
mongrel  geese  spoken  of  on  Page  255  by  Mr  Cornell. 
The  Egyptian  is  a  small  colored  breed  kept  bv 
fanciers 

CROSS  BREEDING 


Good  Africans  are  as  large  as  the  best  Embden 
or  Toulouse  geese,  grow  faster  and  larger  than  either 


2^2  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Up  to  miasummer,  the  time  goslings  should  be  mar- 
keted. They  also  lay  the  largest  eggs,  and  almost 
equal  the  Toulouse  in  number  produced.  They  are 
good  sitters,  and  therefore  will  not  lay  so  steadily. 
The  African  ganders  are  like  Leghorn  males  among 
fowls,  the  most  active  and  attentive  ganders  of  any  of 
the  large  breeds.  They  may  be  given  four  times  as 
many  geese  as  the  Toulouse  ganders,  and  twice  or 
three  times  as  many  as  the  Embden  males,  and  rarely 
fail  to  insure  highly  fertile  eggs.  The  only  drawback 
of  this  most  valuable  and  important  breed  is  its  dark 
bill  and  skin,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  harder  than  the 
others  to  pick.  When  dressed,  the  white  gosling  leads 
it  in  price.  A  greater  number  of  large  goslings  will 
usually  be  secured  from  pure  Africans  than  from 
Embdens  or  Toulouse  mated  straight. 

By  mating  an  Embden  gander  with  African  geese, 
he  will  be  more  attentive  than  to  either  Embden  or 
Toulouse  geese,  thus  insuring  a  high  per  cent  of  fertile 
eggs,  while  a  majority  of  the  goslings  raised  will  come 
white  in  plumage,  and  with  yellow  bills  and  legs.  An 
African  gander  mated  with  Embden  geese  will  insure 
more  fertile  eggs  than  if  an  Embden  gander  is  used, 
and  many  of  the  goslings  will  be  of  the  desired  color 
for  market.  An  Embden  gander  mated  with  Toulouse 
geese,  while  not  so  sure  to  give  as  high  per  cent  of 
fertile  eggs  as  an  African,  will  usually  insure  excellent 
results,  a  large  number  of  goslings,  most  of  which  will 
be  light  or  white.  For  Christmas  geese  this  is  the 
most  desirable  cross,  and  gives  the  largest  light  colored 
goslings.  The  Toulouse  gander  in  this  sort  of  cross* 
ing  has  no  place,  and  can  be  dispensed  with. 

Failing  to  secure  African  ganders  of  the  right 
sort.  Brown  China  or  African-Brown  China  cross  gan- 
ders may  be  used  with  about  as  good  results.  They 
are  still  more  active  than  Africans,  but  are  smaller. 


WATERFOWL  263 

not  so  hardy  to  stand  cold  winters,  and  their  goslings 
partake  of  their  nervous,  excitable  nature,  and  do  not 
take  on  flesh,  or  fatten,  as  readily.  However,  where 
size  of  goslings  is  of  little  importance,  or  where  a 
medium  sized  bird  is  desired,  and  especially  where  no 
preference  is  shown  whether  goslings  dress  white  or 
dark,  or  whether  the  bills  or  legs  are  yellow  or  dark, 
the  Brown  Chinas,  bred  pure,  will  be  the  most  profit- 
able of  all  breeds;  their  sharp  voice  will  be  a  draw- 
back.— [Samuel  Cushman  in  Farm  Poultry. 

BREEDING   AND    KEEPING    SWANS 

Swans  are  the  most  graceful  of  all  breeds  of 
waterfowl  and  where  one  wishes  to  beautify  a  pond 
they  add  more  than  any  other  breed  to  the  scenery. 
Their  keeping  is  easy,  provided  surroundings  are  con- 
genial. Ponds  that  are  freshly  fed  by  springs  and  that 
have  shallow  banks,  covered  with  vegetation,  are  their 
favorite  abiding  places.  Make  an  artificial  float,  cov- 
ered with  a  small,  partly  uncovered  house,  and  anchor 
the  same  in  the  middle  of  the  pond,  and  you  have  the 
best  kind  of  breeding  place  for  them.  Cover  it  three 
inches  deep  with  straw  and  then  allow  their  instinct  to 
do  the  rest. 

Swans  mate  in  pairs  and  the  female,  if  more  than 
two  years  old,  is  a  good  persistent  sitter  and  watchful 
mother.  She  will  take  her  young  on  the  water  within 
two  days  after  hatching  and  will  guard  their  every 
movement  with  maternal  care.  Feed  them  three  times 
daily  with  chopped  greens,  such  as  lettuce,  watercress 
and  young  rye,  and  when  five  days  old  add  some  finely 
broken  bread.  Throw  this  in  the  water,  teach  them  a 
certain  call,  and  they  will  soon  learn  to  come  to  you 
for  their  feed.  When  four  weeks  old  wheat,  buckwheat 


264  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

and  cracked  corn  may  be  given  them,  placed  in  troughs 
along  the  water's  edge. 

A  swan  will  lay  from  twenty-two  to  thirty  eggs 
annually,  and  if,  as  said,  all  conditions  are  favorable, 
a  large  percentage  of  them  should  hatch  and  live.  They 
are  hardy  and  do  not  need  any  extra  houses  or  care, 
even  in  the  coldest  winter.  Treat  them  as  you  would 
treat  old  and  hardened  geese.  Great  precaution  should 
be  exercised  in  buying  mated  stock  birds,  as  many 
irresponsible  breeders  sell  two  male  swans  for  a  pair. 
The  goose  test,  if  applied  to  swans,  will  reveal  their 
sex. 


CHAPTER    XI 
Turkeys,  Guineas,  Peafowls 

The  turkey  is  a  funny  bird 

For  everybody  knows 
That  when  we  "dress"  we  wndress  him; — 

That  is — take  off  his  clothes. 

And  then  he  must  be  dressed  again 

And  all  sewed  up,  or  tied, — 
How  odd !  For  now  the  "dressing"  is 
All  put  in  his  inside! 

A.  G.  Butler. 

SELECTION    AND    CARE    OF    BREEDING    TURKEYS 

No  poulterer  can  hope  to  become  a  successful 
turkey  raiser  who  resides  in  the  midst  of  a  thickly 
settled  neighborhood,  and  must  therefore  keep  his 
stock  in  close  quarters.  A  prime  requisite  at  the  start 
is  to  secure  the  best  stock,  even  at  fancy  prices.  For 
vigor,  hardiness,  numbers  and  immunity  from  disease, 
the  stock  raised  from  a  cross  between  the  American 
wild  and  the  domestic,  a  cross  producing  the  Bronze 
turkey,  is  most  satisfactory.  Too  great  an  admixture 
of  wild  blood,  while  it  gives  increased  hardiness, 
decreases  size,  as  does  also  breeding  from  young  gob- 
blers. 

One  gobbler  may  run  with  a  flock  of  from  twelve 
to  twenty  hens.  The  best  results  in  breeding  are  from 
old  gobblers  not  related  to  the  hens.  Go  to  an  expe- 
rienced turkey  grower  two  or  three  weeks  before 
Thanksgiving  and  select  a  good  tom,  not  necessarily 

265 


266  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

the  largest  in  the  flock,  but  rather  the  brightest.  Pick 
the  one  that  flaunts  his  plumage  most  proudly  and  is 
quickest  to  resent  a  strange  noise  with  the  loudest 
gobble,  and  be  sure  he  is  a  greedy  eater.  The  one 
that  meets  you  at  the  barn  door  when  you  come  out 
with  the  corn  is  the  one  you  want. 

Now  go  to  some  other  breeder  for  your  hens. 
Here  again  you  must  exercise  judgment  in  selection, 
looking  carefully  that  you  choose  none  with  crooked 
backs  or  breast  bones.  Don't  take  fat  birds,  but  get 
large  bodied,  bright  plumaged,  gentle  acting  ones. 
Mind  that  you  see  them  eat  and  make  careful  inquiry 
as  to  whether  they  are  related  to  your  tom.  No  stock 
will  show  the  evil  effects  of  inbreeding  so  quickly  as 
the  turkey. 

Turkeys  are  much  healthier  and  hardier  when 
kept  out  of  doors.  Charles  McClave  of  Ohio,  one  of 
the  largest  turkey  breeders  in  America,  says:  *']\Iy 
turkeys  are  wintered  in  the  timber,  which  is  nature's 
place,  and  I  find  after  many  years'  experience  in  this 
line  that  they  are  much  healthier  than  when  kept 
around  the  buildings  in  the  ordinary  way ;  in  fact,  with 
the  number  that  I  carry  over  the  winter  for  breeders, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  keep  them  around  the  farm 
buildings.  For  more  than  ten  years  I  have  kept  my 
large  flocks  of  turkeys  in  this  manner.  The  track,  of 
timber  in  which  I  winter  them  covers  some  forty  acres 
and  is  inclosed  by  a  woven  wire  fence.  Near  the 
center  of  the  tract  Is  a  roosting  pen  covering  one  acre, 
also  inclosed  by  high  wire  fence.  The  turkeys  all 
roost  in  this  pen  at  night  for  protection,  and  during 
the  day  roam  about  the  timber  at  will." 

Where  thieves  are  apt  to  help  themselves  to 
turkeys  it  is  not  safe  to  let  them  roost  in  the  trees  all 
winter.  An  open  shed,  the  front  of  which  is  closed 
with  wire  netting  or  fencing,  as  shown  in  Figure  107, 


TURKEYS,    GUINEAS,    PEAFOWLS 


267 


may  be  used.  This  can  be  locked  securely,  while  at 
the  same  time  providing  plenty  of  fresh  air.  But 
whenever  possible  let  the  turkeys  choose  their  roost 
if  they  can  find  easy  access  to  apple  trees  on  rising 
ground,  rather  than  a  valley.  They  should  be  fed 
away  from  the  house,  and  not  encouraged  to  intimate 
association  with  the  hens  and  other  fowls.  A  flock 
properly  tamed  will  seldom  venture  into  the  woods  for 
laying,  but  where  nests  are  provided,  will  usually  will- 
ingly seek  them.    An  inclosure  with  wire  netting,  and 


_^..^^ 


FIG.    107 — INCLOSED   ROOSTING   SHED   FOR  TURKEYS 


nests  provided  therein,  may  be  used,  and  the  birds 
confined  within  for  a  half  day  during  the  season,  or 
with  a  little  more  watchfulness,  nests  can  be  built 
against  the  barn  or  other  buildings. 

Keeping  Turkeys  in  Confinement — An  experi- 
ment of  confining  turkeys  in  yards  was  tried  recently 
by  the  South  Carolina  experiment  station.  A  trio  of 
Bronze  and  a  trio  of  White  Holland  turkeys  were  con- 
fined in  runs  eighty  by  100  feet,  in  which  were  placed 


268  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

two  covered  nests  thirty-six  inches  square.  A  few- 
brush  were  thrown  in  front  of  each  to  make  them 
private.  The  two  Bronze  hens  laid  forty-two  eggs,  of 
which  thirty-seven  were  fertile  and  twenty-seven 
hatched.  The  two  White  Hollands  laid  thirty-six 
^SS^>  of  which  twenty-seven  were  fertile  and  sixteen 
hatched.  The  eggs  that  did  not  hatch  were  those  laid 
during  the  first  two  weeks.  Although  the  experiment 
was  very  limited,  it  tends  to  show  that  a  considerable 
saving  can  be  made  by  confining  turkeys  during  the 
laying  season,  which  would  avoid  loss  by  the  hens 
stealing  their  nests  and  other  accidents  incident  to  it. 
In  a  commercial  way  where  a  large  flock  is  kept,  a 
yard  inclosing  an  acre  or  more  of  ground  would  be 
desirable.  A  seven-foot  wire  fence  will  usually  con- 
fine them. 

Nests — Often  large  roomy  boxes  can  be  utilized 
very  nicely  for  nesting  purposes,  but  the  handiest  and 
best  thing  is  a  large  sugar  barrel  securely  blocked  to 
prevent  rolling,  with  the  inside  littered  with  straw  or 
forest  leaves.  The  barrels  serve  an  excellent  purpose 
in  more  ways  than  one.  They  are  not  only  cheap  and 
easy  to  get,  but  owing  to  their  shape  make  an  excel- 
lent protection  for  the  turkey  not  only  from  cold  winds 
and  rains,  but  hot  days  as  well.  Very  often  one  finds 
two,  and  sometimes  even  three  turkeys,  that  will  insist 
on  the  same  nest,  so  that  it  often  becomes  quite  pro- 
voking before  they  can  be  broken  up  so  that  only  one 
will  claim  the  nest.  When  one  uses  barrels  for  nests 
and  such  a  thing  occurs,  he  has  everything  his  own 
way;  he  has  but  to  lean  a  wide  board  across  the  end, 
leaving  a  few  inches  at  the  top.  By  such  arrangement 
it  is  practically  impossible  for  a  turkey  on  the  outside 
to  get  in,  and  the  inmate  of  the  barrel  has  but  to  push 
the  board  over  when  she  wishes  to  walk  out.  When 
she   returns  the  board  can  be  replaced      The  barrel 


TURKEYS,   GUINEAS,   PEAFOWLS  269 

next  serves  an  excellent  purpose  when  the  brood  is 
hatched.  Securely  fasten  an  eight  or  ten-inch  board 
across  the  lower  end  so  that  the  little  turkeys  cannot 
squeeze  out,  but  be  sure  to  leave  sufficient  space  so 
that  the  hen  can  leave  or  return  if  she  sees  fit.  With 
a  barrel  so  arranged  the  poults  are  not  apt  to  become 
either  chilled  or  lost  and  they  are  very  easily  caught 
when  it  is  desired  to  move  them. 

Setting  Turkeys — The  first  clutch  of  eggs  should 
be  set  under  chicken  hens.  Break  up  the  broody  turkey 
and  she  will  soon  go  to  laying  again.  Before  setting 
the  eggs,  sprinkle  the  nest  and  turkey  with  pyrethrum 
powder  or  sulphur  to  prevent  trouble  from  lice  or 
mites,  either  of  which  may  cause  her  to  desert  the  eggs. 
The  hen  turkey  is  usually  allowed  to  hatch  the  second 
clutch.  The  turks  will  be  a  little  more  trouble,  as  the 
turkey  mother  is  more  apt  to  wander  farther  from 
home  than  the  hen.  By  driving  them  home  for  a  few 
nights  they  will  soon  learn  to  return,  especially  if  fed 
at  the  coop.  Never  leave  them  out  over  night,  as  they 
will  most  likely  become  the  prey  of  some  marauding 
animals.  A  whole  flock  may  be  destroyed  during  one 
night  by  foxes.  The  mother  turkey  is  also  likely  to 
start  on  her  travels  before  the  grass  is  dry,  dragging 
her  little  ones  after  her,  often  causing  serious  loss. 
Move  coops  to  a  clean  spot  every  other  day  at  first, 
and  later  every  day. 

FEED  AND  CARE  OF  YOUNG  TURKEYS 

After  the  young  are  thirty-six  hours  old  remove 
all  to  a  good  sized  coop  and  place  the  coop  where  there 
is  plenty  of  grass.  If  the  grass  is  long  mow  it  off. 
For  early  in  the  season  be  sure  to  have  a  movable 
board  bottom  to  the  coop  and  clean  this  off  and  sand 
every  day.    Dampness  and  filth  mean  death.    After  the 


270  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

weather  settles  and  the  ground  warms  up  place  the 
coop  in  the  ground  or  grass  and  clean  by  simply 
moving  it  to  fresh  ground.  Lice  are  the  cause  of  nearly 
all  the  ills  of  turkeydom  and  kill  more  young  ones 
than  all  else  combined.  Get  rid  of  the  lice  on  the  old 
birds  first  by  dusting  them  every  week,  while  sitting, 
with  insect  powder  and  place  green  cedar  leaves  and 
branches  in  the  bottom  of  the  nests.  Lice  won't  tarry 
long  where  these  are.  The  poults  should  be  given  a 
drop  of  sweet  oil  on  the  head  and  neck,  under  the 
wings  and  around  the  vent,  once  a  week,  applied  with 
the  finger  and  rubbed  on  next  the  skin.  Too  much 
may  hurt  them. 

The  first  feed  should  be  dry  bread.  Take  one 
quart  each  of  corn  meal,  middlings  and  bran  and  one 
pint  of  sifted  ground  oats.  Season  with  salt,  add  a 
little  pepper,  mix  up  with  water  or  sour  milk  and  add 
enough  saleratus  to  raise  it.  Bake  until  done.  Enough 
can  be  baked  at  one  time  to  last  several  days.  After 
the  poults  are  several  days  old  moisten  the  hard  crust 
in  sweet  milk,  squeeze  out  dry  and  feed.  Give  a  little 
every  two  hours.  Feed  on  a  clean  board  and  be  sure 
that  none  is  left  over  to  sour. 

Feed  everything  as  dry  as  possible,  as  sloppy  or 
uncooked  food  is  injurious.  After  the  turks  are  a 
week  old  the  feed  may  be  scalded.  The  saleratus  and 
sour  milk  should  be  left  out  and  a  little  meat  added, 
or  cook  a  piece  of  fresh  lean  meat  and  feed  a  little  of  it 
once  a  day.  Ground  bone  may  be  put  in  the  feed  at 
all  times  if  it  is  sweet  and  good.  When  the  poults  are 
ten  days  old  commence  to  feed  whole  wheat  for 
supper,  and  when  a  month  old  feed  cracked  corn  for 
supper  and  wheat  at  noon.  During  all  this  time  keep 
on  with  the  scalded  feed  between  the  times  when 
wheat  or  corn  is  given.  After  four  weeks  old  feed 
only  four  times  a  day.    When  four  months  old  twice 


TURKEYS,    GUINEAS,   PEAFOWiLS  27 1 

daily  is  sufficient  and  the  feed  may  consist  of  whole 
grains,  which  should  be  kept  up  until  killing  time  if 
you  want  to  have  the  stock  large.  Feed  very  little 
corn  unless  you  want  to  fatten  them  for  market.  Give 
a  variety,  if  possible,  such  as  wheat,  oats,  buckwheat 
and  barley.  Wheat  is  the  best  food  if  only  one  kind 
is  given.  Procure  some  whole  black  pepper,  and  every 
morning  look  over  the  little  ones,  and  whenever  one 
is  noticed  to  appear  droopy  pick  it  up  and  look  for  lice, 
and  at  the  same  time  give  it  a  grain  of  the  pepper. 
Most  of  the  trouble  with  young  turkeys  can  be  traced 
to  inbreeding  and  lack  of  vigor  in  the  parent  stock,  lice 
and  improper  feeding.  Corn  meal  and  skimmilk  curds 
are  favorite  feeds  for  young  turkeys.  Either  alone  is 
enough  to  kill  them;  combined  they  are  not  quite  so 
bad,  yet  they  are  a  very  poor  ration. 

After  turkeys  "shoot  the  red,"  or  are  full  feath- 
ered, they  will  largely  take  care  of  themselves,  but 
before  that  they  will  require  constant  watching.  Build 
a  little  pen  with  some  short  boards  in  front  of  each 
coop  and  don't  let  the  little  fellows  out  of  this  for  the 
first  four  or  five  days.  After  that  time  they  may  be 
let  out  on  every  fair  day — after  the  dew  is  off.  Also 
let  the  hen  out  with  her  brood  after  the  seventh  day. 
iVlways  know  where  your  turkeys  are  and  if  a  showei 
comes  up  get  them  under  cover  as  soon  as  possible. 

It  pays  to  herd  turkeys  where  they  are  raised  in 
considerable  numbers.  A  peculiar  thing  about  herding 
turkeys,  especially  if  the  poults  have  turkey  mothers, 
is  that  once  their  day's  route  is  established  they  will 
go  the  same  round  each  day  and  generally  on  schedule 
time.  The  best  plan  is  to  keep  the  flock  restricted  to 
the  territory  adjacent  to  their  coop  until  the  poults 
are  feathered,  when  the  broods  can  be  flocked  together 
and  started  out  to  the  woods  and  fields.  Here  is  where 
the  herder  is  needed.    The  losses  from  various  sources 


2^2  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

— Strays,  hawks,  foxes,  minks  and  weasels,  hunters  and 
dogs  a  Httle  later  in  the  season,  make  big  inroads  into 
the  flock  unless  guarded.  Ordinarily  this  would  be 
rather  dull  work  for  a  boy  or  girl,  and  none  should 
attempt^ it  unless  there  were  two  for  company.  The 
route  taken  by  the  flock  could  be  through  all  the 
stubble  fields,  where  sufficient  grain  food  would  be 
gleaned,  in  the  pastures  and  cut  meadows,  where  the 
poults  would  do  good  work  on  grasshoppers,  crickets 
and  other  insects,  and  into  the  woodland,  where  they 
will  dust  themselves  in  the  fine  dust  of  some  rotten 
log,  to  rid  themselves  of  lice.  Even  when  it  is  imprac- 
tical to  guard  them  the  entire  day,  much  can  be  done 
by  way  of  insuring  their  safety  by  having  them  roam 
in  the  direction  showing  least  danger.  This  can  be 
done  by  starting  them  right  in  the  morning  and  feed- 
ing them  a  short  distance  from  home  on  their  return 
at  night. 

When  fattening  turkeys  in  the  fall,  feed  plenty  of 
whole  corn  and  pen  them  up  in  a  shed  or  stable,  letting 
them  out  every  four  or  five  days  to  take  exercise. 

MARKING  TURKEYS 

j.n  neighborhoods  where  many  of  the  farmers 
raise  turkeys  it  is  necessary  to  brand  or  mark  the  stock 
in  some  way  in  order  to  prevent  loss  and  the  occasional 
neighborhood  quarrels  which  result.  As  turkeys  are 
so  much  inclined  to  roam,  flocks  of  several  neighbors 
frequently  get  mixed  early  in  the  season  and  run 
together  more  or  less  the  rest  of  the  year.  The  one 
who  first  rounds  up  the  flock  usually  selects  his  original 
number  and  chooses  the  best  turkeys ;  the  others  have 
to  stand  all  the  losses.  By  a  system  of  punching  the 
webs  between  the  toes  the  turkeys  can  be  easily  identi- 
fied.    This  is  easily  done  with  a  harness  punch  or  a 


TURKEYS,    GUINEAS.    PEAFOWLS 


vz 


m 


i  ^^:    '^^'' 


■^^msm 


274 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


poultry  marker.  A  large  number  of  combinations  can 
be  worked  out,  and  whichever  combination  is  decided 
on  should  be  registered  with  some  town  official. 


BREEDS  OF  TURKEYS 


While  six  varieties  of  turkeys  are  recognized  by 
the  American  Standard  of  Perfection,   only  two  are 


FIG.     109 A     PERFECT    BRONZE    TURKEY     HEN 

kept  to  any  extent  by  poultry  growers.  These  are  the 
Bronze  and  the  White  Holland.  The  Bronze  (Figures 
108  and  109)  is  the  largest,  hardiest  and  most  prolific. 


TURKEYS,   GUINEAS,   PEAFOWLS  275 

It  IS  descended  directly  from  the  wild  turkey  and  wild 
blood  is  frequently  crossed  in  to  keep  up  the  vigor. 
The  White  Holland  is  much  smaller  than  the  Bronze, 
in  fact,  standard  weights  are  lighter  than  for  any  of 
the  other  breeds.  It  is  of  a  more  quiet  disposition  and 
not  so  much  inclined  to  roam.  Buff  turkeys  are  quite 
striking  in  appearance  and  are  often  met  with  in  small 
flocks.  Other  varieties  but  little  seen  are  the  Narra- 
gansett,  Slate  and  Black. 

GUINEAS 

Guineas  are  a  noisy,  useful  fowl  about  the  farm. 
They  are  great  foragers  and  live  very  largely  upon 
bugs  and  insects.  They  seldom  scratch,  hence  need 
not  be  feared  in  the  garden.  They  are  apt  to  steal 
their  nests  and  frequently  several  hens  will  lay  in  the 
same  nest.  They  sit  late,  and  unless  the  nest  is  found 
they  will  cover  all  the  eggs  they  can,  but  many  of  them 
will  not  hatch.  The  period  of  incubation  is  twenty- 
six  days.  The  young  are  hardy  from  the  start  and 
can  be  brought  up  in  the  same  way  as  chickens  or 
turkeys,  but  they  need  feeding  every  two  hours  the 
first  week. 

Guineas  are  very  noisy  and  make  a  great  racket 
when  anything  unusual  occurs.  They  are  useful  in 
giving  alarm  at  the  approach  of  hawks  or  crows,  or 
other  intruders.  It  is  a  brave  chicken  thief  who  will 
go  into  a  chicken  yard  or  roost  guarded  with  a  pair 
of  guineas.  The  eggs  are  small  to  medium  in  size, 
light  brown  in  color,  speckled  with  fine  dots,  and  very 
pointed  at  one  end.  The  shell  is  thick  and  tough.  The 
eggs  are  rich  in  flavor  and  greatly  prized  by  house- 
wives. 

The  flesh  of  the  guinea  xS  quite  gamy,  dark  in 
color,  tender  and  relished  by  many  who  like  game. 


2.^^ 


MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 


Cocks  and  hens  resemble  each  other  very  closely  and  it 
is  difficult  even  for  the  practiced  eye  to  tell  them  apart. 
The  head  of  the  cock  is  frequently  a  little  thicker,  with 
wattles  double  the  size  of  the  hen.  The  hen  cries  out 
her  song,  "buckwheat,"  while  the  cock  has  an  entirely 
different  call.  One  cock  mates  with  not  over  two  hens. 
There  are  two  standard  varieties,  the  White  and  the 
Pearl  (Figure  no). 


FIG.  no — PAIR  OF  PEARL  GUINEAS 


PEAFOWLS 


No  bird  is  more  ornamental  In  appearance  thani 
the  peafowl.  They  were  formerly  prized  by  epicures 
and  the  flesh  is  considered  a  very  choice  morsel  by  those 
who  have  eaten  it.  The  young  are  very  tender,  much 
like  pheasants  in  this  respect,  and  should  be  brought 
up  in  about  the  same  manner.     They  do  best  when 


TURKEYS^    GUINEAS,    PEAFOWLS  277 

raised  with  the  mother  hens  or  in  a  brooder,  for  they 
want  hovering  for  six  months.  The  old  are  very 
hardy  and  dehght  to  roost  in  tall  trees  or  on  the  ridge- 
pole of  buildings.  They  are  quite  noisy  and  inclined  to 
roam.  If  the  young  are  wintered  the  first  year  in  a 
yard  inclosed  with  wire  netting  on  sides  and  top  they 
will  not  roam  so  far  in  after  years.  The  hens  lay  only 
a  few  eggs,  which  require  twenty-eight  to  thirty  days 
to  hatch.  The  cocks  do  not  get  their  full  feathers 
until  three  years  of  age.  There  are  several  varieties. 
The  Blue  or  variegated  is  the  most  common.  The 
White  are  rare  as  well  as  very  beautiful.  Peafowls 
are  often  cruel  to  other  fowls  and  are  frequently  a 
great  nuisance  about  the  poultry  yard. 


CHAPTER  XII 
Pigeons  and  Squab  Raising 

Pigeons,  unlike  poultry,  are  monogamous.  They 
mate  in  pairs  and  when  once  mated  generally  stay  so 
for  life.  Therefore,  a  careful  breeder  will  see  that  all 
his  pigeons  are  properly  mated,  for  an  unmated  cock 
or  hen  in  a  loft  will  stir  up  a  lot  of  trouble.  Breeders 
of  fine  pigeons  always  make  their  own  matings,  which 
can  be  easily  done  by  confining  the  birds  to  be  mated 


FIG.    Ill MATING  COOP   FOR  PIGEONS 


in  a  cage,  such  as  shown  in  Figure  iii.  A  good  size 
is  three  feet  long,  fourteen  to  eighteen  inches  deep  and 
same  hight.  It  must  have  a  partition  in  the  center 
which  can  be  removed  when  required.  Place  the  cock 
in  one  side  and  the  hen  in  the  other,  and  after  leaving 
them  for  a  day  or  two  remove  the  partition.  If  they 
do  not  seem  ready  to  mate,  separate  again  and  wait  a 

278 


PIGEONS   AND   SQUAB   RAISING 


279 


day  or  two  longer.     This  method  prevents  fighting 
and  secures  any  mating  desired. 

Where  pigeons  are  kept  it  is  too  often  the  prac- 
tice to  house  them  in  some  low  loft  under  the  eaves, 
where  it  is  inconvenient  to  visit  them  and  where  the 
birds  often  suffer  neglect.  If  possible  it  is  better  to 
have  quarters  upon  the  ground  floor  and  preferably 
in  a  separate  building.  The  pigeon  house  may  well 
be  made  an  ornament  to  the  place.  A  good  one  is 
shown  in  Figure  112  and  a  suitable  loft  in  the  second 
story  in  Figure  113.  The  former  represents  a  small 
and  inexpensive  house,  built  on  attractive  lines  and 


Jfe*^ 


FIG.   112 PIGEON  HOUSE  AND  FL\ 


thoroughly  suited  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is 
intended.  A  small  hallway  runs  through  the  center, 
giving  access  to  a  commodious  room  on  each  side.  A 
''flight"  on  either  end  of  the  house  opens  out  from 
these  two  lofts.  Such  a  little  house,  stained  and  cov- 
ered with  vines,  will  make  a  very  attractive  addition 
to  any  country  place,  and  will  do  much  toward  getting 
children  in  love  with  country  life  and  interested  in  the 
companionship  of  animals. 

•    Squab  raising  is  becoming  a  fad  or  boom  in  which 
many  are  doomed  to  disappointment,  failure  and  finan- 


28o 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


cial  loss.  The  squab  is  a  young  pigeon  just  before  it 
leaves  the  nest  and  is  considered  a  great  delicacy. 
Squabs  are  much  in  demand  in  many  large  cities  and 
take  the  place  of  quail.  They  bring  from  $1.50  to  $6 
per  dozen,   depending  on  quality  and  season  of  the 


FIG.     113 PIGEON    LOFT    IN    SECOND    STORY 


year.  Although  any  pigeons  will  give  squabs,  Homers 
(see  Figure  114)  are  by  far  the  best  breed  for  this 
purpose,  being  hardy,  good  breeders  and  of  good  size. 
A  special  house  or  loft  is  needed  that  is  proof  against 
mice,  rats,  cats  and  sparrows  and  where  the  tem- 
perature in  winter  can  be  kept  above  the   freezing 


PIGEONS   AND   SQUAB   RAISING  281 

point.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  the  sexes  should  be 
separated  until  the  approach  of  mild  weather.  A  cov- 
ered fly  is  necessary  to  confine  the  old  birds.  Homers 
brought  from  a  distance  will  return  to  the  place  where 
they  were  raised  at  the  first  opportunity,  hence  must 
always  be  confined.  Young  birds  raised  on  the  place 
may  be  given  their  liberty. 


FIG.    114 — ^A  FIVE  HUNDRED-MILE  RECORD  HOMER 

A  good  house  and  fly  is  shown  in  Figures  115 
and  116.  A  house  six  feet  high  between  sill  and  plate, 
twelve  to  fifteen  feet  wide  and  of  any  length  desired 
may  be  provided.  The  fly  should  be  from  ten  to  fifty 
feet  long,  six  to  eight  feet  high  and  covered  on  top  and 
sides  with  inch  mesh  wire  netting.  This  will  keep  out 
the  sparrows  which  otherwise  will  come  in  swarms  and 


282 


MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 


eat  much  of  the  food.  A  six-inch  board  or  shelf  should 
be  put  up  along  the  two  ends,  and  possibly  one  side, 
for  the  pigeons  to  alight  upon,  but  nothing  should  be 
placed  across  the  middle  of  the  fly,  or  the  pigeons  may 
strike  against  it  and  be  injured. 

The  interior  should  be  divided  into  rooms  ten  feet 
wide,  with  a  three-foot  alley  extending  along  the  rear 


FIG.    115 PIGEON   HOUSE  AND   COVERED   FLY 


in  long  houses.  On  each  of  two  sides  of  the  room  the 
nests  should  extend  from  floor  to  ceiling.  Shelves 
should  be  put  up  with  partitions  so  as  to  make  nests 
three  feet  long,  one  foot  wide  and  twelve  to  fifteen 
inches  high.  There  must  be  no  alighting  board  in 
front  for  quarrelsome  birds  to  walk  on.  As  the  hen 
will  frequently  lay  again  before  the  squabs  have  left 


PIGEONS   AND   SQUAB   RAISING 


283 


the  nest,  a  box  of  this  size  must  be  provided  so  that  two 
nests  can  be  put  in  it.  Lice  killer  must  be  used  freely 
and  the  houses  whitewashed  frequently  to  keep  down 


FIG   116 — INTERIOR  VIEW  OF  PIGEON   HOUSE 


the  lice.  A  room  and  fly  of  the  size  mentioned  will 
accommodate  twenty-five  pairs  of  pigeons,  which  is 
enough  for  one  flock.     The  pigeons  are  fed  a  variety 


'284  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

of  grains,  such  as  cracked  corn,  wheat,  peas,  millet, 
hemp  seed,  etc.  They  need  water  for  drinking  and 
bathing,  also  sharp  sand  or  grit  and  occasionally  some 
salt.  Besides  Homers,  which  are  the  best  and  cheap- 
est, Antwerps  and  Runts  are  also  used  for  raising 
squabs.  The  latter  are  the  giants  among  pigeons,  but 
are  shy  breeders  and  not  good  feeders.  White  squabs 
always  sell  better  than  do  colored  ones.  A  flock  of  old 
birds  will  average  in  the  hands  of  a  skillful  breeder 
about  six  pairs  of  squabs  a  year.  Much  bigger  claims 
than  this,  however,  are  often  made  by  persons  who 
have  birds  to  sell. 

The  beginner  should  start  with  a  few  mated  pairs 
and  then  raise  his  own  flock  of  breeders.  Great  disap- 
pointment and  much  loss  comes  from  getting  birds 
which  are  not  mates.  An  unmated  cock  or  hen  in  a 
loft  will  cause  a  lot  of  trouble — a  few  such  will  prevent 
any  profit.  ]\Iany  dealers  who  find  it  more  profitable 
to  sell  breeders  than  to  raise  squabs,  send  out  anything 
and  everything  to  their  customers  as  mated  birds. 
Some  of  them  say  mating  commonly  means  in  sales 
half  cocks  and  half  hens.  William  E.  Rice,  an  author- 
ity on  squab  raising,  thus  defines  mated  pigeons :  "A 
mated  pair  of  pigeons  consists  of  a  male  and  a  female 
which  have  built  a  nest,  laid  eggs  and  hatched  a  pair 
of  squabs  which  are  fit  for  market  in  four  weeks  from 
the  time  of  hatching."  The  only  safe  way  in  buying 
breeders  is  to  get  a  written  guarantee  that  they  are 
mated,  and  a  list  showing  which  the  pairs  were.  If 
any  dealer  will  not  furnish  this  better  let  him  alone. 
The  purchaser  who  buys  birds  represented  to  be  mated 
has  a  right  to  expect  that  they  have  actually  been 
mated  and  will  prove  it  by  going  to  work  and  rearing 
squabs,  and  he  ought  to  be  provided  with  a  list  for  his 
guidance  showing  which  birds  are  mated. 

Pheasant  Rearing — The  critical  time  of  the  young 
pheasant  is  the  first  two  weeks,  and  during  this  time 


PIGEONS  AND   SQUAB   RAISING  285 

too  much  care  cannot  be  given  the  young  birds ;  they 
should  be  fed  at  least  four  times  a  day.  Custard  made 
of  milk  and  eggs  is  the  best  and  only  feed  that  should 
be  given  them  for  the  first  two  weeks ;  feed  them  on  a 
board  or  common  pie  pan. 

Place  some  directly  in  front  of  the  coop  and  just 
as  close  to  the  coop  as  possible,  especially  for  the  first 
two  or  three  days ;  after  that  the  birds  will  find  the  feed 
anywhere  in  the  inclosure,  as  they  will  by  that  time 
run  all  over  the  space  allotted  them.  Should  you 
prefer,  the  hen  and  her  brood  can  have  their  liberty 
in  five  or  six  days,  as  by  that  time  the  young  will  know 
the  call  and  talk  of  their  foster-mother  and  they  ,will 
not  leave  her.  The  hen  will  always  come  back  to  the 
coop  to  roost. 

Never  allow  the  young  to  eat  any  stale  custard, 
and  be  quite  certain  that  all  stale  food  is  removed 
before  feeding.  After  you  have  given  them  liberty, 
but  little  attention  may  be  given  them,  as  the  hen  will 
care  for  her  brood  better  than  you  can.  However,  I 
find  it  an  excellent  idea  to  feed  them  once  or  twice  a 
day,  as  by  so  doing  they  will  get  very  much  tamer. 

Hard  boiled  egg  is  an  excellent  food  for  pheas- 
ants after  they  are  two  weeks  old;  boiled  potatoes, 
chopped  up  fine,  will  not  be  amiss  to  mix  with  the  egg, 
but  care  should  be  taken  not  to  form  a  paste  with  the 
eggs  and  potatoes.  Should  you  prefer,  the  hen  can  be 
left  in  the  coop  until  the  pheasants  are  ready  to  wean ; 
in  this  case  remove  the  birds  and  allow  the  young  to 
roam  over  as  much  territory  as  they  like.  They  will 
not  be  likely  to  get  so  far  away  that  they  cannot  hear 
their  mother's  call. 

Before  you  attempt  to  raise  pheasants  or  quail, 
kill  all  your  cats,  and  if  you  have  neighbors  who  have 
cats,  tell  them  that  it  means  death  if  any  of  their  cats 
are  found  trespassing. 


CHAPTER    XIII 
Enemies  and  Diseases 

Probably  the  best  and  most  effective  remedy  for 
all  serious  poultry  ailments,  in  young  or  old,  is  the 
application  of  a  good  sharp  ax  where  it  will  sever  the 
head  from  the  body.  This  remedy  is  scouted  by  some, 
but  it  still  remains  the  best  time  and  money  saver,  and 
the  surest  means  to  promote  health  in  our  poultry. 
Many  poultry  ailments  serve  as  a  warning  from  nature 
that  the  affected  birds  are  unfit  for  breeders  through 
some  constitutional  taint.  If  we  doctor  these  individ- 
uals which  nature  has  marked  as  unfit,  and  succeed  in 
pulling  them  through,  we  defeat  our  own  best  interests. 
Unless  we  weed  out  the  ailing  and  weaklings,  and 
refuse  to  breed  from  such,  we  must  expect  a  large 
mortality  in  the  offspring. 

A  correspondent  writes  us  that  after  five  years  of 
using  no  remedy  for  sick  fowls  except  "a  good  sharp 
ax,"  he  now  finds  disease  in  his  flock  of  very  rare 
occurrence,  and  usually  of  trifling  character,  which 
recovers  spontaneously.  Previous  to  using  the  ax 
freely  he  had  much  trouble  with  sick  hens,  and  never 
got  through  a  winter  withoiit  roup.  Another  cor- 
respondent, who  always  uses  the  medicine  bottle,  and 
cannot  bring  himself  to  killing  off  the  diseased  breed- 
ers, is  complaining  of  great  mortality  among  his  chicks 
from  "no  apparent  cause."  His  chicks  die  at  all  stages 
of  incubation,  and  some  are  dropping  off  all  the  time 
from  hatching  up  to  maturity — a  sure  sign  of 
unhealthy  parentage,  and  evidence  of  the  working  of 
nature's  law,  that  of  "the  survival  of  the  fittest."    Had 


ENEMIES   AND  DISEASES  287 

he  used  the  ax  and  aided  nature  he  would  now  be 
better  off. 

We  are  not  afraid  to  advocate  the  free  use  of  the 
ax  as  a  poultry  remedy.  There  is  no  danger  of  any- 
one overdoing  it ;  people  are  not  built  that  way.  Every- 
one will  hold  on  to  a  miserable,  puny  or  diseased  spec- 
imen until  they  are  sure  that  there  is  no  relief  except 
in  the  ax. 

The  way  to  succeed  in  the  poultry  business  is  to 
start  with  the  best,  always  keep  the  best,  and  always 
strive  to  improve  it.  Build  it  up,  and  keep  it  built  up, 
and  remember  that  "like  begets  like."  The  very  first 
requisite  in  breeding  birds  is  a  strong  constitution  and 
sound  health.  Unless  you  have  this  solid  foundation, 
all  attempts  at  improvement  are  time  and  money 
wasted.  You  cannot  secure  healthy  fowls  with  the 
aid  of  the  medicine  bottle ;  but  you  can  rid  yourself  of 
undesirable  specimens,  and  prevent  the  reproduction 
of  disease  in  the  offspring,  if  you  will  only  use  sound 
common  sense — and  an  ax.  However,  there  are  some 
who  wish  to  doctor  their  poultry;  and  there  are  times 
when  it  is  wise  to  treat  a  fine  specimen.  Hence  the 
necessity  of  giving  a  few  simple  remedies  for  some  of 
the  common  ailments. 

Asthenia  or  Going  Light — This  trouble  is  not  a 
form  of  consumption,  as  many  suppose.  The  fowl  has 
a  ravenous  appetite,  but  the  food  seems  to  afford  no 
nourishment  and  the  fowl  gradually  wastes  away  and 
dies  of  actual  starvation.  The  disease  has  been 
investigated  by  Dr.  Charles  F.  Dawson,  who  finds  that 
it  is  caused  by  a  microbe  or  bacterium  in  the  small 
intestine.  The  bacteria  undoubtedly  subsist  largely  on 
the  food  consumed  by  the  fowl  and  cause  a  fermenta- 
tion in  it  so  that  no  nourishment  can  be  obtained  from 
it.  A  slight  inflammation  of  the  intestines  is  also 
noted.    The  treatment  should  be,  first,  the  removal  of 


288  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

the  bacteria,  and  the  use  of  easily  digested  foods  and 
tonics  to  build  up  the  system.  As  medicinal  agents  for 
the  removal  of  the  cause  by  purgation,  Dr.  Dawson 
recommends  castor  oil  in  two-teaspoonful  doses,  or 
calomel  in  oft-repeated  one-quarter-grain  doses  may  be 
tried.  Purgation  should  be  followed  by  a  stimulating 
tonic.  Dr.  Salmon  recommends  the  following  tonic  in 
similar  affections:  Powdered  fennel,  anise,  coriander 
seed,  cinchona,  of  each  thirty  grains;  powdered  gen- 
tian and  ginger,  of  each  one  dram ;  powdered  sulphate 
of  iron,  fifteen  grains.  Mix;  add  from  two  to  four 
grains  of  this  mixture  for  each  fowl  to  the  food  twice 
a  day. 

Blackhead  in  Turkeys — It  is  an  infectious  liver 
disease,  similar  in  its  nature  to  human  dysentery.  The 
disease  takes  its  name  from  the  fact  that  turkeys  of  a 
certain  age,  when  affected,  look  shrunken,  pinched  and 
purple  about  the  head.  Turkeys  having  the  disease 
probably  infect  the  land  they  run  upon.  The  organisms 
are  present  in  their  excrement,  and  if  taken  in  with 
food  or  water,  many  produce  the  disease  in  other 
turkeys.  Sick  birds  should  be  killed  and  burned  or 
buried  deeply.  Buildings,  coops,  and  feeding  and 
drinking  vessels  which  they  may  have  contaminated, 
should  be  disinfected.  Birds  once  having  this  trouble, 
even  if  they  have  apparently  recovered,  may  still  not 
be  free  from  it,  and  be  able  to  scatter  infecting  mate- 
rial. It  is,  therefore,  not  best  to  keep  specimens  that 
have  ever  been  affected.  Take  great  pains  to  clear  out 
the  sick  from  both  young  and  old,  and  then  if  it  is 
possible,  change  the  well  ones  to  new  ground.  Little 
turkeys  are  most  susceptible.  They  are  infected  early 
in  life,  and  the  disease  develops  fast  or  slow,  accord- 
ing to  how  numerous  the  organisms  are,  or  to  the 
strength  of  the  turkey.  Wet,  stormy  weather  aggra- 
vates the  disease.    The  feathers  look  rough,  the  birds 


ENEMIES   AND  DISEASES  289 

have  diarrhea,  with  bright  yellow  excrement ;  and  they 
weakly  drag  one  foot  after  the  other  for  some  time 
before  they  die.  In  some  cases  both  caeca  are  affected, 
in  others  but  one  or  a  part  of  one.  Those  having  but 
a  small  part  of  the  liver  invaded  may  live  through  the 
winter,  and  not  die  until  spring.  Prevention  is  pos- 
sible, but  cure  is  difficult.  By  breeding  them  to  secure 
great  vigor,  by  feeding  to  counteract  any  tendency  to 
diarrhea,  and  by  giving  preventive  treatment  upon  the 
slightest  symptoms  of  abnormal  looseness,  much  may 
be  done  to  help  them  resist  the  disease  if  they  are 
exposed  to  it.  A  tonic  and  stimulant  for  the  liver 
and  bowels  will  help  the  disease ;  confinement  and  over- 
feeding favor  it.  Pepper  and  ginger  and  something 
sour  are  indicated,  as  well  as  an  astringent.  Sick 
turkeys  sometimes  recover  after  they  can  eat  all  the 
acorns  they  want;  they  administer  the  astringent 
themselves. 

Bozvel  Trouble — Fowls  whose  droppings  are 
black,  watery  or  yellowish  white  have  bowel  trouble, 
probably  caused  by  indigestion.  Give  an  abundance  of 
sharp,  hard  grit,  moderately  at  first,  some  green 
vegetable  food  and  good  wholesome  food,  and  pure, 
clean  water,  to  which  add  one  teaspoonful  of  Douglas 
mixture.  Scald  and  keep  clean  all  drinking  vessels  and 
feed  boxes.  Spread  lime  freely  about  the  yard,  spade 
it  up  and  seed  down  to  rye  or  wheat.  Add  two  ounces 
sulphuric  acid  to  two  gallons  water  and  sprinkle  liber- 
ally around  the  house.  Feed  once  a  day  a  mash  scalded, 
composed  of  four  parts  each  of  ground  oats,  wheat 
bran  and  corn  meal  and  one  part  linseed  meal,  with 
sound,  whole  grain  at  other  times.  Every  other  day 
for  a  week  add  one  ounce  powdered  charcoal  to  each 
quart  of  mash. 

Bumble  foot  is  caused  by  some  injury  to  foot. 
Jumping  from  roosts  that  are  too  high  is  an  exciting 


290  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

cause.  Put  a  good  warm  linseed  meal  poultice  on  the 
foot  as  soon  as  the  trouble  is  discovered.  When  the 
swelling  softens  up  lance  at  the  point  where  the  skin 
over  abscess  seems  thinnest,  and  after  lancing  wash 
the  wound  out  thoroughly  with  a  solution  of  hydrogen 
dioxide  one  part,  with  two  parts  warm  water.  Use 
this  solution  to  bathe  the  wound  daily  until  healed. 
Do  not  be  afraid  to  open  the  abscess  freely  when  you 
lance  it.  One  lancing  should  be  sufficient.  After  you 
have  opened  it  keep  it  open  by  packing  the  wound  with 
gauze.  So  treated  it  will  heal  from  the  bottom  out, 
and  will  give  a  good  foot  when  healed.  The  wound 
should  be  bathed  and  dressed  every  day,  and  better, 
twice  a  day.  Keep  bird  by  itself  in  clean  coop  on  clean 
straw,  with  foot  well  bandaged  until  well.  If  your 
roosts  are  too  high,  lower  them. 

Cholera  is  a  highly  contagious  disease  affecting  all 
poultry  and  is  caused  by  bacteria.  The  infection  occurs 
by  taking  food  or  drink  contaminated  by  the  excre- 
ment of  sick  birds,  or  even  by  inhaling  the  germs  float- 
ing in  the  air.  It  may  run  rapidly  through  a  flock, 
destroying  a  large  portion  of  the  fowls  in  a  week,  or 
it  may  assume  a  chronic  form,  spread  slowly  and  be 
troublesome  for  weeks  or  even  months.  The  earliest 
.<5ymptoms  are  a  yellow  color  of  the  urates,  or  excre- 
ment secreted  by  the  kidneys,  followed  by  loss  of 
appetite.  The  bird  separates  from  the  flock,  the  feath- 
ers become  rough,  the  wings  droop,  the  head  is  drawn 
toward  the  body  and  the  fowl  becomes  weak  and 
sleepy.  These  symptoms  are  usually  accompanied  with 
a  high  fever  and  intense  thirst.  The  disease  lasts 
usually  about  three  days.  Medical  treatment  is  of  little 
avail.  A  dessertspoonful  of  a  solution  of  one  dram 
carbolic  or  hydrochloric  acid  to  one  quart  of  water  for 
adult  birds  is  recommended.  Affected  birds  should  be 
isolated    and    the    greatest    dependence    placed    on    a 


ENEMIES  AND  DISEASES  2gi 

thorough  disinfection  of  the  premises  and  on  sanitary 
precautions.  Give  a  thorough  cleaning  to  the  houses, 
yards  and  whatever  ground  the  poultry  frequent.  For 
disinfecting,  sulphuric  acid  is  the  cheapest,  but  it  is 
extremely  dangerous  to  use,  as  it  burns  severely  if  it 
touches  one's  flesh  or  clothing.  One  pound  to  fifty 
quarts  of  water  is  the  right  proportion  to  use.  Pour 
the  acid  slowly  into  the  water  in  a  wooden  vessel,  as 
it  creates  considerable  heat  in  mixing.  Sprinkle  the 
weakened  acid  freely  around  the  henhouse  and  on 
the  ground  frequented  by  the  poultry.  Thoroughly 
cleanse  the  drinking  and  feeding  vessels  and  keep  them 
clean.  Persistent  and  heroic  measures  are  necessary  to 
get  rid  of  cholera  when  once  it  gets  into  a  flock.  The 
following  remedy  is  given  by  an  Illinois  poultry  keeper 
as  a  sure  cure  for  chicken  cholera:  Two  ounces  pul- 
verized capsicum,  two  ounces  pulverized  asafetida,  one 
ounce  pulverized  rhubarb,  six  ounces  Spanish  brown, 
two  ounces  flowers  of  sulphur;  mix  thoroughly  and 
keep  in  an  air-tight  can.  Put  one  teaspoonful  m  two 
quarts  of  the  mash  and  feed  twice  a  day  until  all  symp- 
toms of  the  disease  disappear. 

To  Avoid  Colds — Each  fowl  showing  evidence  of 
cold  or  congestion  should  be  shut  up  in  a  small  coop 
and  given  two  grains  of  calomel  at  night,  followed  by 
a  one-grain  quinine  pill  night  and  morning  for  two  or 
three  days.  If  there  is  any  dischaige  from  nostrils 
inject  a  few  drops  of  camphorated  oil  into  each  nostril. 
If  any  improvement  is  manifest  in  two  or  three  days, 
remove  to  a  small  room  and  add  a  solution  of  copperas 
to  the  drinking  water.  Keep  here  for  a  week  or  two, 
or  until  they  show  a  complete  recovery  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  after  two  or  three  days'  observation  and 
treatment,  no  improvement  is  manifest,  the  bird  should 
be  killed  and  buried. 


292  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

Consumption  is  a  disease  prevalent  to  a  consider- 
able extent  in  parts  of  California  and  no  doubt  causes 
more  or  less  loss  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  The 
affected  fowls  grow  thin,  pale,  listless  and  eventually 
die.  Breeding  from  healthy,  vigorous  stock,  clean, 
well  ventilated  quarters,  food  and  care  are  the  best 
ways  to  avoid  it. 

Cramp  is  a  trouble  which  often  affects  chicks 
confined  in  damp  quarters.  The  toes  begin  to  swell, 
and  grow  crooked,  turned  to  one  side,  and  twist;  joint 
after  joint  becoming  affected  until  the  whole  foot  is 
swollen.  The  chick,  stops  growing,  and  its  feet  seem 
tender  and  painful.  It  is  a  gouty  condition,  and  akin 
to  rheumatism.  It  is  often  caused  by  overfeeding  of 
heating  and  stimulating  foods.  Any  considerable 
amount  of  greasy  meat  scrap  or  poor  meat  meal  from 
which  the  fat  has  not  been  well  extracted,  will  cause  it. 
The  disease  appears  most  frequently  in  chicks  from 
delicate  or  rheumatib  parents,  or  those  which  are 
overfat  or  suffering  from  the  effects  of  overfeeding. 
Chicks  which  have  had  cramps  are  worthless  as  breed- 
ers. Those  which  apparently  recover  are  only  fit  for 
the  pot,  as  they  will  almost  to  a  certainty  transmit  to 
their  chicks  their  tendency  to  rheumatic  diseases. 
Treatment  for  mild  cases,  rub  the  legs  and  feet  twice 
a  day  with  a  good  liniment,  carefully  stretching  out  the 
toes.  Add  to  a  pint  of  fresh  drinking  water  ten  grains 
of  salicylate  of  soda.  Let  the  chicks  have  a  drink  of 
this  morning,  noon  and  night.  Take  it  away  as  soon 
as  they  have  each  had  a  drink.  Mix  fresh  every  day. 
Continue  treatment  for  a  few  days  after  apparent  cure. 
Allow  no  other  drink  but  the  medicated  water  while 
under  treatment. 

Crop-hound  is  perhaps  the  commonest  form  of 
crop  trouble,  and  is  generally  caused  by  careless  feed- 
ing. The  proof  of  a  crop-bound  is  purely  external,  hut 


ENEMIES  AND  DISEASES 


293 


is,  fortunately,  very  easily  discernible.  Instead  of  the 
crop  having  a  firm,  close  appearance,  in  fact,  not  being 
noticeable,  it  is  seen  to  hang  down  like  a  bag,  and  on 
being  felt  there  is  found  to  be  inside  a  lump  or  ball  of 
food.  If  the  trouble  is  discovered  early,  cure  is  very 
easy.  The  first  step  is  to  pour  some  salad  oil  or  melted 
lard  down  the  throat,  and  then  to  work  gently  with  the 
hand  the  mass  in  the  crop.  This,  if  properly  and 
effectively  done,  will  soon  cause  the  food  and  the  fluid 
to  mix,  and  when  the  mass  has  been  well  broken  up,  it 
will  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  pass  away.  Warm 
water  may  be  used  instead  of  the  oil  or  lard,  but  it  is 
not  so  rapid  or  so  effective  in  its  action.  When  the 
mass  has  been  got  rid  of,  great  care  is  required  in  order 
to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  the  same  thing.  Feed  spar- 
ingly for  a  few  days  on  sopped  bread.  When  the 
kneading  process  is  ineffectual,  then  an  operation 
becomes  requisite,  but  no  one  need  fear  the  performing 
of  this  operation,  as  it  is  a  very  simple  one  and  needs 
no  great  skill.  Nor  is  there  any  danger  involved  in  it. 
Make  an  incision  lengthwise  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
crop,  about  an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length. 
This  should  be  very  cleanly  made  with  a  sharp  lancet 
or  penknife.  Through  this  incision  the  contents  of  the 
crop  may  be  removed,  using  for  that  purpose  a  small 
eggspoon.  Sometimes  the  mass  is  so  hard  that  it  can- 
not pass  through  the  aperture,  and  in  that  case  it  must 
be  broken  up,  which  can  be  done  with  care  and 
patience.  This  mass  is  usually  very  offensive  indeed, 
and  to  remove  any  contaminating  matter  from  the  crop 
this  organ  should  be  washed  out  with  Condy's  fluid, 
or  a  similar  non-poisonous  disinfectant.  It  is  also 
desirable  to  pass  the  finger,  well  pared  and  oiled,  into 
the  orifice  so  far  as  to  be  certain  that  there  is  no 
obstruction  there,  for  if  so  the  whole  process  may  have 
to  be  gone  over  again.    This  done,  the  incision  must 


294  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

be  sewed  up,  and  for  this  a  small  bent  needle  is  best, 
as  by  it  the  skin  can  be  most  easily  gathered  together, 
and  horsehair,  not  thread,  used.  Sew  the  inner  skin  first, 
and  then  the  outer  one.  Three  stitches  will  be  needed 
in  each  skin.  Tie  each  stitch  separately.  The  food 
must  be  limited  in  quantity.  No  water  must  be  sup- 
plied until  the  suture  has  completely  healed  up. 

Douglas  mixture  is  the  best  general  poultry  tonic. 
Mix  one-half  pound  sulphate  of  iron,  one  ounce  sul- 
phuric acid  and  two  gallons  pure  soft  water.  Let  settle 
twenty-four  hours,  then  drain  off  and  bottle.  Add  one 
teaspoonful  to  each  pint  of  drinking  water  for  the 
fowls. 

Egg-hound — Do  not  allow  the  hens  to  get  overfat, 
and  they  are  not  likely  to  become  egg-bound.  The  best 
thing  to  do  when  a  hen  gets  in  that  condition  is  to  kill 
and  eat  her  before  she  gets  in  such  condition  that  she 
is  unfit  for  food.  Dip  the  finger  into  sweet  or  castor 
oil,  and  introduce  it  into  the  vent.  Ten  drops  of  fluid 
extract  of  ergot,  given  the  hen  from  a  spoon,  and  fol- 
lowed in  half  an  hour  by  holding  the  bird  over  hot 
water  so  the  steam  can  reach  the  vent,  will  sometimes 
relieve  this  condition.  At  all  events,  remove  her  from 
the  male  bird,  and  feed  soft  food  and  warm  water.  If 
successful  in  removing  the  ^gg,  and  the  bird  is  worth 
the  extra  trouble,  keep  her  in  dry,  sunny  quarters,  and 
in  her  drink  put  ten  drops  of  tincture  nux  vomica  to 
one  pint  of  water.  Give  this  for  ten  days,  avoiding 
foods  rich  in  starch,  such  as  corn  and  buckwheat. 

Favus  is  a  disease  produced  by  a  minute  parasitic 
fungus  and  attacks  the  comb,  wattles  and  neck,  causmg 
the  feathers  of  the  latter  to  fall  out.  It  is  very  destruc- 
tive in  poultry  yards  in  England,  and  being  highly 
contagious,  spreads  with  great  rapidity.  A  single  dis- 
eased bird  soon  contaminates  the  whole  flock  and 
several  outbreaks  have  been  traced  to  the  introduction 


ENEMIES  AND  DISEASES  295 

of  a  new  bird  from  an  affected  yard.  Unless  treated 
properly,  it  usually  ends  fatally.  The  feathers  become 
erect,  dry  and  fall  out,  leaving  the  skin  covered  with 
dull  yellowish  gray  crusts.  The  English  board  of  agri- 
culture in  a  recent  leaflet  recommends  bathing  the 
affected  parts  with  warm  water  and  castile  soap,  then 
applying  some  ointment  to  destroy  the  fungus.  Nitrate 
of  soda  and  lard  is  useful.  Red  oxide  of  mercury  has 
also  proved  an  excellent  remedy. 

Feather  eating  is  a  vice  caused  by  idleness  and  lack 
of  exercise,  also  from  want  of  proper  food,  particularly 
animal  matter.  Generally  one  or  two  hens  in  the  flock 
are  the  guilty  ones  and  if  these  are  removed  the  trouble 
stops.  Give  them  exercise  and  plenty  of  fresh  meat. 
One  who  has  succeeded  in  breaking  it  up,  writes :  Take 
a  piece  of  raw,  fat  salt  pork  (a  piece  with  a  good  rind, 
so  it  will  not  come  down  in  the  dirt)  and  driving  a  nail 
through  the  rind  nail  it  to  some  part  of  the  building 
in  easy  reach  of  the  hens  and  let  them  work  at  it  all 
they  please.  When  this  is  gone  if  they  still  continue 
to  pick  off  the  feathers,  give  them  another  piece. 

Gapes  are  caused  by  the  presence  of  one  or  several 
forked  red  worms  in  the  windpipe  of  the  chick.  The 
chicks  get  the  gapes  by  eating  the  eggs  of  the  worms 
which  have  been  discharged  from  other  affected  birds. 
The  worms  can  be  conveyed  from  affected  birds  to 
healthy  ones  through  the  drinking  water,  also  in  the 
food  if  it  has  been  contaminated  by  affected  birds.  The 
ground  and  coops  that  have  been  at  any  time  contam- 
inated by  affected  poultry  should  be  thoroughly  disin- 
fected at  frequent  intervals  with  a  two  per  cent  (in 
water)  solution  of  sulphuric  acid.  Whitewash  all 
coops  with  hot  whitewash,  plow  up  all  runs  frequently, 
and  keep  them  planted  with  quick  growing  green  stuff. 
When  gapes  appear  the  drinking  water  should  be 
medicated  as  a  preventive  measure.    For  this  purpose 


2g6  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

it  will  be  well  to  add  three  drams  of  salicylate  of  soda 
to  each  quart  of  drinking  water.  Affected  chicks  will 
need  radical  treatment.  Take  each  chick  separately 
and  remove  the  worms  from  its  windpipe.  This  can 
be  done  with  a  strip  of  feather.  Take  a  long  slender 
feather,  and  tear  off  all  the  barbules  except  those  at 
the  tip.  Mix  a  little  oil  of  clove  and  sweet  oil.  Moisten 
the  feather  tip  with  this,  and  insert  it  gently  into  the 
windpipe  of  the  chick.  Twist  the  feather  around 
several  times,  and  withdraw  it.  If  you  have  operated 
successfully  you  will  draw  out  most  of  the  worms  with 
the  feather,  and  the  oil  will  kill  the  others  which  may 
have  been  left  behind.  After  a  little  practice  the 
operation  is  easily  performed,  and  does  not  seem  to 
trouble  the  chick  much.  It  is  seldom  necessary  to 
repeat  the  operation.  Clove  oil  is  used  with  the  sweet 
oil  because  it  has  been  found  that  its  use  is  followed 
by  less  irritation  that  when  other  lubricants  are  used. 
The  bodies  of  any  birds  which  may  die  of  gapes  should 
be  burned,  all  worms  removed,  and  all  excrement  of 
affected  birds  should  be  burned  also.  ,.- 

Hazvks  are  often  troublesome  but  can  be  fre- 
quently caught  in  an  ordinary  steel  trap,  not  too  large, 
mounted  on  the  top  of  a  common  fence  rail  or  a  long 
pole,  set  firmly  in  the  ground.  It  is  best  located  on 
some  moderately  high  point  in  the  middle  of  a  wide 
field,  where  there  are  no  trees  or  other  objects  upon 
which  a  bird  may  light.  No  bait  is  needed.  The  trap 
is  simply  opened  on  top  of  the  pole,  where  the  bird 
sets  it  off  and  is  caught  in  the  act  of  alighting,  Fig- 
ure 117.  Of  course  the  trap  must  be  firmly  secured  to 
the  pole.  The  device  is  based  on  the  principle  thai 
birds  of  prey  habitually  light  on  prominent  objects  in 
large  open  spaces,  where  they  will  have  a  good  outlook 
for  game.  A  trap  well  placed  will,  during  one  season, 
catch  all  the  hawks  within  a  radius  of  several  miles. 


ENEMIES   AND   DISEASES 


297 


Owls  and  other  large  birds  are  also  frequently  found 
in  the  trap.  The  longer  and  the  more  substantial  the 
pole,  the  better  it  is. 

Leg  weakness  is  noticed  more  in  young  cockerels 
of  the  large  breeds  than  in  pullets  or  in  those  of  the 


FIG.    117 — HAWK   TRAP 


smaller  varieties.  It  is  generally  caused  by  pushing 
too  rapidly  for  growth.  It  will  first  be  noticed  by 
uncertainty  In  the  gait  and  in  a  week's  time  the  bird 


298  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

will  not  be  able  to  stand.  The  appetite  is  all  right  and 
examination  will  show  nothing  wrong  except  the 
weakness  of  the  legs.  The  remedy  is  to  take  away  all 
forcing  foods,  such  as  meat  or  green  bone,  also  corn, 
buckwheat  and  rye  if  any  of  these  are  fed.  Feed 
entirely  on  wheat,  oats  and  barley.  Give  plenty  of 
sharp  grit  and  add  fine  ground  bone  or  bone  meal  to 
the  ration.  What  the  chick  needs  is  more  mineral 
matter,  which  will  be  supplied  in  these  grains  and  sub- 
stances named.  One-tenth  grain  quinine  a  day  will 
also  be  a  great  help. 

Lice  and  mites  are  the  worst  enemies  with  which 
the  poultry  keeper  has  to  deal.  There  are  several  kinds 
but  the  two  commonest  ones  are  the  gray  body  lice 
which  live  on  the  fowls  and  the  mites  which  live  in 
the  houses  and  go  on  the  fowls  at  night  when  they  are 
on  the  roost.  Once  let  a  henhouse  become  infested 
with  the  mites  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  rid  of 
them.  They  multiply  very  rapidly  and  live  on  filth  and 
refuse  matter.  Many  houses,  unsuspected,  swarm 
with  them.  The  gray  body  lice  can  be  killed  by  dust- 
ing the  hens  with  insect  powder,  greasing  or  dipping 
in  sheep  dip  or  tobacco  water  or  confining  them  a 
short  time  in  a  box  or  barrel  painted  on  the  inside  withl 
lice  killer.  Wood  ashes  mixed  with  the  dust  in  the 
dusting  box,  equal  parts  of  each,  will  keep  away  the 
lice.  A  little  vaseline  on  the  heads  of  small  chicks  as 
a  preventive  of  lice  is  better  than  lard,  and  if  pur- 
chased by  the  pound,  is  not  much  more  expensive. 
Thorough  and  persistent  work  is  needed  to  rid  a  house 
of  mites  and  keep  it  free  of  them.  If  the  house  is 
tight,  fumigate  with  sulphur;  if  not,  whitewash  with 
hot  lime,  to  every  gallon  of  which  add  one  ounce  crude 
carbolic  acid.  Remove  the  old  roosts,  nests  and  other 
fixtures  and  saturate  with  kerosene  before  putting 
them  back.    Also  clean  out  and  burn  all  refuse.    Twice 


ENEMIES   AND   DISEASES 


299 


a  month  shut  up  the  house  and  throw  around  air- 
slaked  Hme  and  sulphur.  Tobacco  dust  in  the  nests 
and  wallows  is  also  useful.  Paint  the  roosts  frequently 
with  a  lice  killer.  A  good  one  can  be  made  of  one- 
half  pint  carbolic  acid,  one-half  pint  bi-sulphuret  of 
carbon  and  one-half  gill  pine  tar.  Shake  thoroughly 
and  add  slowly  to  fifteen  pints  crude  petroleum.  Keep 
well  corked  in  a  jug  or  can.  Shake  well  before  using 
and  apply  with  a  brush  to  drop  boards,  roosts,  nests 
and  the  inside  of  poultry  house  shortly  before  the 
fowls  go  to  roost.  Another  good  lice  killer  is  made  by 
dissolving  in  kerosene  all  the  crude  naphthalene  flakes 


FIG  118.— DEVICES  FOR  PROTECTING  ROOSTS  FROM  LICE 


it  will  take  up.  Moth  balls  will  not  answer.  Mites 
will  not  venture  on  roosts  that  receive  a  soaking  in 
this  fluid  every  two  weeks.  The  odor  of  the  naphtha- 
lene sticks  to  the  roosts,  and  warns  vermin  away. 
After  two  or  three  applications  the  roosts  will  not 
need  treatment  oftener  than  once  a  month.  Sawdust 
slightly  moistened  with  this  liquid  is  an  excellent 
article  to  keep  vermin  from  the  nests.  Vermin  proof 
roosts  are  also  effective  and  well  worth  using.  Make 
the  roost  of  two  by  three-Inch  planed  joists  and  set 
both  ends  in  shallow  boxes  arranged  as  shown  in 
Figure  118.     One  end  of  each  box  is  partly  removed 


300  MAKING  POULTRY  PAY 

and  the  boxes  are  then  filled  with  dry,  powdery,  air- 
slaked  lime,  heaped  up  so  that  the  roost  rests  entirely 
upon  the  lime  and  does  not  touch  the  box  at  any  point. 
Vermin  will  not  get  to  a  roost  protected  in  this  way. 
Another  simple  yet  effective  device  is  to  place  the 
ends  of  the  roosts  in  tin  cans  containing  kerosene.  A 
slot  or  groove,  is  cut  in  the  can,  a,  half  way  down, 
to  hold  the  end  of  the  roost,  b,  as  shown.  The  bottom 
of  the  can  is  kept  filled  with  kerosene.  These  cans  are 
nailed  to  the  side  of  the  building  and  effectually  pre- 
vent all  lice  from  crawling  into  the  roosts. 

Limber  neck  is  a  complaint  common  to  chickens 
in  the  middle  and  southern  states.  It  is  caused  by 
ptomaine  poisoning  from  eating  putrid  flesh.  The 
disease  is  a  paralysis  of  the  neck,  and  death  is  not 
caused  by  maggots  gnawing  through  the  craw,  as  is 
commonly  supposed.  Poultry  keepers  in  England  and 
France  feed  their  birds  on  maggots,  but  where  mag- 
gots are,  the  poison  which  causes  this  trouble  is  likely 
to  be  found.  Turpentine  is  a  good  remedy,  but  probably 
the  most  effectual  is  Venetian  red,  say  half  a  teaspoon- 
ful  to  each  bird  daily.  Mix  this  with  dough  and  roll 
into  strips  one  inch  long. 

Rats  are  one  of  the  worst  pests  around  the  poultry 
house  as  they  not  only  steal  much  of  the  grain  but 
carry  off  eggs  and  young  chicks.  Persistent  trapping 
and  poisoning  will  keep  them  subdued.  The  best  baits 
to  use  in  trapping  are  small  pieces  of  Vienna  sausage 
(Wienerwurst)  or  bacon.  One  of  the  cheapest  and 
most  effective  poisons  is  barium  carbonate,  or  barytes, 
a  mineral  without  taste  or  smell.  In  the  small  quanti- 
ties used  for  poisoning  rats  and  mice  it  is  harmless  to 
larger  animals.  Its  action  is  slow  but  reasonably  sure. 
Mix  one-fifth  barytes  with  four-fifths  cornmeal  or 
one-eighth  barytes  with  seven-eighths  of  Its  bulk  of 
oatmeal.     Then  mix  it  with  water  in  the  form  of  a 


ENEMIES   AND   DISEASES 


301 


Stiff  dough  and  place  the  prepared  baits  in  places 
where  the  rats  frequent.  Plaster  of  paris  is  also  used 
frequently  with  good  effect.  Take  a  large  box,  make 
some  holes  in  the  sides  and  ends  high  enough  from  the 
ground  so  chickens  cannot  get  in;  put  in  corn  meal 
for  a  bait  for  a  few  nights.  After  the  rats  get  to 
eating  good,  mix  some  plaster  of  paris  with  the  meal. 
The  moisture  in  the  rats'  stomachs  will  cause  the 
plaster  to  set  hard,  and  the  rats  will  die.  A  small 
dish  of  water  in  the  box  might  be  a  good  idea,  and 
cause  the  rats  to  die  sooner. 

Roup  is  the  name  commonly  given  to  most  dis- 
orders of  the  passages  of  head  and  throat,  the  symp- 
toms varying  considerably,  as  in  humans  affected  with 
colds,  mild  or  severe,  influenza,  acute  catarrh,  sore 
throat,  diphtheria,  etc.  These  troubles,  although  not 
strictly  one  disease,  are  enough  alike  to  admit  being 
considered  together.  First  signs  are  dumpishness, 
usually,  but  not  always,  a  poor  appetite,  breathing  is 
loud,  and  sometimes  there  is  a  choking  noise  or  cough. 
Then  follows  a  discharge  from  the  nose,  and  if  the 
case  is  severe,  a  secretion  extending  to  the  eyes,  often 
covering  them  with  a  whitish  matter.  Sometimes  the 
whole  face  is  badly  swelled.  In  diphtheritic  roup,  the 
roof  of  the  mouth  and  throat  show  patches  of  white 
matter,  which  later  becomes  yellowish,  sometimes  with 
a  bad  odor.  Mild  cases  of  roup  get  well,  others  linger 
a  long  time  and  still  others  grow  thin  and  die.  Some- 
times roup  hangs  around  a  flock  for  years,  owing  to 
bad  conditions.  Fowls  of  strong  stock,  which  are  not 
overfed,  which  are  induced  to  exercise  for  a  living, 
and  not  much  exposed  to  drafts,  damp  floors,  or  infec- 
tion from  sick  fowls,  will  not  be  likely  to  get  roup. 
Those  which  have  the  malady  must  be  kept  in  a  dry, 
warm  place,  and  separate,  as  the  disease  spreads 
through  the  drinking  water  and  in  other  ways  from 


302  MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 

bird  to  bird.  The  buildings  should  be  cleaned,  white- 
washed and  made  as  dry,  light  and  warm  as  possible. 
Feed  the  well  birds  attractive  food,  but  never  leave  it 
before  them  to  eat  at  will.  Add  Douglas  mixture  to 
their  drinking  water.  As  for  the  sick  fowls,  if  they 
are  numerous  enough  or  sufficiently  valuable  to  be 
worth  treatment,  a  simple  remedy  is  a  drop  of  kerosene 
in  the  nose  passages  and  a  very  little  applied  to  the 
other  diseased  parts  with  a  small  brush.  Carbolic  acid 
one  part  to  fifty  parts  water  may  be  used.  Peroxide 
of  hydrogen  diluted  one-half  with  water  and  squirted 
into  the  nostrils  with  a  fountain  pen  filler  or  medicine 
dropper  will  help  clear  the  passages.  Remove  matter 
on  face  and  eyes  with  soft  sponge  and  warm  water, 
and  from  the  throat  with  a  cotton  wad  on  a  splinter. 
Roup  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  gapes  on  account  of 
the  gasping  for  breath,  but  examination  will  show  the 
difference  by  the  appearance  of  whitish  matter  an.l 
other  signs  of  roup. 

Sore  Heads — Use  vaseline,  kerosene  and  sulphur 
rubbed  on  the  head.    This  is  quick  and  effective. 

Scaly  leg  is  caused  by  a  parasite  that  lives  under 
the  scale  of  the  leg,  and  the  scab  is  the  excrement,  etc., 
thrown  off  by  these  insects.  It  can  be  easily  cured  if  a 
little  pains  is  taken  to  rub  on  ointment  made  of  kero- 
sene, lard  and  a  little  sulphur  added.  The  quantity 
is  immaterial;  the  kerosene,  being  the  most  penetrat- 
ing, is  the  best  part  of  the  remedy,  and  the  lard  gives 
sufficient  consistency  to  it,  so  that  it  does  not  run  off 
quickly.  Rub  this  well  in  under  the  scales  three  times, 
about  a  week  apart,  and  it  will  effect  a  cure.  It  is  no 
harm  to  rub  it  on  oftener  if  you  wish  to,  but  there  is 
no  particular  need  of  it. 

Skunks — Lay  for  them  on  moonlight  nights  with 
a  good  gun,  and  shoot  them.  After  you  have  killed  a 
few  they  will  be  less  troublesome.    You  can  trap  them 


ENEMIES   AND   DISEASES  3O3 

in  box  traps,  using  a  fresh  killed  chick  for  bait.  Owing 
to  the  peculiarity  of  the  beasts  this  method  is  not  so 
satisfactory  as  shooting.  Dosing  the  body  of  a  freshly 
killed  chick  with  arsenic  and  placing  it  where  his 
skunkship  will  get  it,  is  also  recommended  as  a  good 
method. 

Venetian  red  has  long  been  a  popular  remedy 
with  some  poultrymen.  It  is  the  red  oxide  of  iron,  and 
undoubtedly  possesses  medicinal  virtue.  Its  value  is 
vouched  for  by  reliable  men,  and  we  can  see  no  reason 
vvhy  it  should  not  be  tried  in  the  diseases  for  which  it 
is  recommended;  more  especially  as  it  is  found  useful 
in  troubles  which  have  hitherto  been  considered 
incurable  and  fatal.  Venetian  red  is  used  in  the  drink- 
ing water,  about  a  teaspoonful  (for  fowls,  less  for 
chicks)  in  a  quart  of  water.  It  does  not  dissolve,  and 
in  time  settles  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel.  The  water 
13  renewed  without  rinsing  out  the  powder,  which 
rises  to  the  surface  when  fresh  water  is  added.  Those 
who  have  used  Venetian  red  are  inclined  to  attribute  to 
it  ''cure  all"  virtues,  much  the  same  as  any  enthusiast 
is  liable  to  overrate  the  curing  capacity  of  his  special 
favorite  remedy.  There  is  reason  to  believe  in  the 
value  of  Venetian  red  in  the  treatment  of  the  follow 
ing:  canker,  some  bowel  troubles  (more  especially 
those  accompanied  by  wasting  of  flesh),  "going  Hght," 
''pasting  up  behind"  in  chicks,  and  in  all  diseases  where 
a  blood  tonic  would  be  useful. 

Worms — Two  kinds  of  worms  are  quite  common 
in  poultry;  the  round,  and  the  flat  or  tapeworms. 
Infection  takes  place  through  fowls  eating  the  eggs 
of  the  parasites  found  in  the  droppings  of  infected 
birds.  Droppings  of  stock  having  worms  should  be 
collected  frequently  and  burned.  For  round  worms, 
give  a  two-grain  pill  of  santonin  to  each  aflfected  bird 
every  other  morning  before  feeding,  following  it  in 


304  MAKING  POULTRY   PAY 

half  an  hour  with  two  teaspoonfuls  of  raw  linseed  oil. 
Continue  treatment  one  week.  Flat  or  tapeworms 
when  found  in  the  droppings  look  like  pieces  of  tape 
The  eggs  of  these  parasites  are  expelled  in  the  drop- 
pings, and  are  taken  up  and  undergo  a  preparatory 
stage  in  some  of  the  insect  parasites  like  fleas  and  lice ; 
when  these  vermin  are  eaten  by  the  fowl  the  contained 
embryo  is  ready  to  develop  into  a  full  fledged  tape- 
worm in  the  intestines  of  the  fowl.  The  affected  bird 
is  often  possessed  of  a  remarkable  appetite,  and  at 
the  same  time  grows  thin.  At  other  times  the  presence 
of  tapeworms  in  a  fowl  may  not  be  suspected  until 
pieces  of  the  worms  are  found  in  the  droppings.  Make 
a  mash  of  bruised  pumpkin  seeds  with  a  little  milk, 
and  after  allowing  the  bird  to  fast  for  twelve  hours, 
feed  it  all  of  this  mash  that  it  can  be  forced  to  eat. 
In  an  hour  or  two  give  a  teaspoonful  of  castor  oil,  or 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  raw  linseed  oil.  After  the  worms 
are  expelled  feed  a  warm  mash  of  bran,  middlings  and 
milk.  If  worms  appear  again  in  droppings  the  treat- 
ment did  not  get  all  of  them,  and  may  be  repeated  in 
a  few  dayso 


N.    C.    St  rite    Collcire 


Index 


Page 
Absorbents,      road      dust 

and   ashes    43 

Amateur's     experience....    34 

Breeds,    test    of 92 

American     Dominique.  .113 

Anconas     103 

Andalusians     102 

Bantams     117 

Brahmas     93 

Buckeyes     112 

Cochins     95 

Crevecoeurs     97 

Dorkings     113 

Faverolles     95 

Games     116 

Hamburgs    104 

Houdan     104 

Indian    Games 114 

Javas     113 

La   Fleche    96 

Langshans     95 

Leghorns    98 

Minorcas     99 

Orpingtons     113 

Plymouth   Rocks    10.7 

Polish    117 

Redcaps     104 

Rhode    Island    Reds 111 

Rhode    Island    Whites..  112 
White-Faced         Black 

Spanish     101 

Wyandottes     109 

Ducks,    Muscovy    248 

Ducks,    Pekin    247 

Ducks,    Indian    Runner. 247 
Ducks,  other  varieties.  .249 

Geese,  African    260 

Geese,   Chinese      260 

Geese,  Embden   260 

Geese,    Egyptian 261 

Geese,     Toulouse 259 

Geese,  Wild  Canada 261 

Turkeys     288 

crossing    pure    breeds.  .    89 
serviceable        cross-bred 

chickens    90 

Breeding    pen 92 

Brooder,   care   of 181 

capacity   of    182 

gasolene  heated    193 

handling   chicks 183 

homemade,   202,  203,  204,  205 

houses    186 

Tillinghast     204 

up-to-date     199 

use  of   181 


Broilers,  American  breeds. 207 

celery  fed 208 

finishing    208 

methods  of  feeding 209 

packing    and    shipping.  .  210 

Philadelphia     209 

requisites    for    raising..  206 

squab   208 

Capons 210 

experience   with    219 

market  for 211 

Caponizing,      best      breeds 

for    212 

operation  of 212 

Chicks,   baby  chick  food..  161 

bowel    trouble    163 

care   of    158 

drinking    fountain 164 

feeding     159 

feeding  incubator 179 

feeding  trough    162 

handling   brooder 183 

teaching    to    roost 45 

why      incubator      chicks 

die     178 

Clipping    wings    42 

Colony    plan    46 

Combs,  prevent  freezing.  .    44 
Contests,    money-in-poul- 

try     3 

Burnley    society     23 

Utility    Poultry    club...    22 

winter    egg    laying 6 

Coops,    barrel    156 

brood     coops     for     hens 

and    chicks 155 

convenient     155 

for   early    chickens 156 

for  two  broods 157 

Cramming    141 

Crate   fattening    141 

Crooked    breast   bones....   44 

Dehorn  roosters 44 

Diseases,    asthenia   or   go- 
ing  light    287 

blackhead  in  turkeys..    288 

bowel    trouble    163,289 

bumble   foot    289 

cholera    290 

colds    291 

consumption    292 

cramp    292 

crop    bound    292 

ess    bound     294 

ess    eating    27 

favus     294 

feather    eating    295 


3o6 


MAKING   POULTRY   PAY 


Diseases,    continued 

gapes     295 

leg   weakness    297 

limber    neck    300 

roup     301 

scaly    leg    302 

sore  heads   302 

worms     303 

Pouglas  mixture    294 

Ducks,  breeds  of    246 

care   of   young    239 

commercial    breeding    ..234 
handling        breeding 

stock    240 

killing        and        picking 

232,     244 

marketing     232,   244 

water    tank   for    23« 

winter   quarters   for.... 242 

Egg  laying  contests,  ^6.  22,   23 

Eggs,  brown  vs.  white...  28 
chemical  composition..  28 
cost    of    production....    20 

eating    27 

farming    for    139 

feeding  for    131 

flavor       influenced       by 

feed     125 

fresh  defined   225 

in    winter,    how    to    get 

6,     24 

marketing     225 

mixed    in    incubator 176 

new    laid    225 

physical     composition.  .    28 

reducing    co?t     21 

sex    of     29 

shipping    226 

storJn?-     226 

Enemies^,    hawks    296 

lice   and   mites 298 

rats     300 

skunks     302 

Experiences     of    an     ama- 
teur         34 

Farm,    large    poultry 80 

well   arranged   poultry.  .    79 

Fattening   crate    141 

poultry     140 

Feed,  animal  food  125 

baby  chick  130,  161 

barley  120 

composition    of    various 

stuffs     143 

corn     119 

green  bones   126 

green  food   127 

grit     128 

Influence      on     color    of 

yolk    44 

influence    on    flavor    of 

eggs    127 

oats    120 


Page 
Feed,     continued 

self    feeders 122,124 

skimmilk     127 

substitutes      for      green 

bone     126 

table   of  weights    145 

trough     121 

variety     124 

wheat     120 

Feeding  for  eggs   131 

incubator    chicks 179 

mash     122 

value    and    results    in.. 142 
whole   or  ground  grain.  121 

Fences     72 

Flock,   best  size  of 41 

Floors,    best    kinds 71 

Fowls,      for      show      ring, 

preparing    35 

Frozen    combs,    preventing  44 

Geese,     breeds    of     258 

care   of    breeding 252 

cross    breeding 261 

distinguishing    sex     ....254 
feeding       and       making 

young     255 

goose      fattening      busi- 
ness     255 

keeping    for    profit 249 

killing     256 

marketing     232 

money    tn    250 

picking  live    257 

Guineas 275 

Hatching,     natural    way..  149 

setting   the   hen 150 

Houses,    cheap    68 

A-shaped     69 

barrel    stave    64 

breeding  pen   70 

brooder     186 

cheap   structure    63 

continuous     51 

Cornell     53 

curtain    front    51 

floor    of     71 

inside  of 74 

novel    64 

practical    and     inexpen- 
sive         60 

satisfactory     67 

scratching  shed    47 

suburban     65 

two-story     71 

ventilation  of    71 

well    arranged 60 

Income,    average    per    hen     6 

Incubation,     artificial 166 

Incubators,  advantages  of    177 

care    of    lamp 169 

each   breed   separately.  .  176 
feeding   chicks    179 


INDEX 


307 


Page 

[ncubators,    continued 
loss  in  weight  of  eggs.  .1.73 

necessity    of    178 

proper    heat    of    17  J 

question    of    moisture.  .  172 
setting  the   machine.  ..  .168 

testing    the    eggs 171 

the    hatch     173 

turning    the    eggs 169 

why      incubator     chicks 

die     178 

Individuality,         influence 

of     » 20 

Interior     arrangements.  .  .    7  4 
Laying'  competition,    Eng- 
lish      22,   23 

Farm   and   Home   winter     6 
Layers,    selecting    best.  .  .    32 

to   pick  out    133 

Lice    and    mites 2?7 

Lice   paint    299 

Litter    for    scratching.  ...    41 

Manure,    care    of 39 

Marketing,     dressing     and 

shipping     229 

ducks    and    geese 232 

eggs     225 

game    birds    232 

live  poultry 227 

turkeys     231 

Mating  for  size 84 

in-breeding     83,  85 

principles    of    correct...    82 

Methods     of    feeding 130 

successful     poultrymen   130 

A.   F.   Hunter's    131 

Prof.    G.    M.    Gowell's.  .135 

C.  H.  Wykoff's    137 

W.  H.  Rudd's    138 

Mistakes,    very    common.  .    41 

Milk    for    chicks 163 

skimmilk    valuable.A  . .  .  127 

Molt,  forcing 38 

l^est    boxes    50 

Nests,    construction   of    ..   75 

for  sitting  hens 150 

for  turkeys    260 

trap    76 

Pea   fowls    276 

Pests,    lice    and   mites 297 

Pheasants,    rearing     284 

Pigeons,     housing 279 

mating     278 

Poultry,    dressing 229 

farm     79 

fattening    140 


Page 
Poultry,    continued 

for    English   market 231 

keeping    on    shares 44 

keeping,    best    plans 46 

keeping,    starting     14 

keeping,  who  should  es- 
say   it    12 

packing  in   ice    239 

shipping    alive    227 

Profits,    conservative    and 

actual     68 

in   poultry    j 

Pvecords,  laying  and  hatch- 
ing          10 

Removing    hen    164 

Roasters,    soft    industry.  .  220 

Separating  sexes    164 

Shade     73 

Spurs,    removing    44 

Squabs,  Homer's  best  for. 280 

house     281 

mating  breeders 284 

market    for 280 

Swans,  breeding  and  keep- 
ing     263 

Table,        composition        of 

feeds     146 

income   of   hens    6 

loss    in    weight    of    eggs 

during  incubation    ...173 

weights    of    chickens.  ..  207 

Thoroughbreds,     on    farm  85 

starting   with    88 

value   of    87 

Tonic,    Douglas    mixture..  29  4 

Venetian   red 303 

Turkeys,     blackhead    in...  288 

breeds   of    274 

dressing     231 

herding    271 

feed  and  care  of  young.  269 
keeping   in  confinement.  267 

marketing     231 

marking     272 

nests    for    268 

selection   and   care    of.. 265 

setting     269 

Varieties  of  poultry 92 

Ventilation  of  houses....  71 
Water  for  young  chicks.. 163 
Water  glass  for  eggs....  227 
Weights   and  measures, .  .142 

Whitewash    39 

Wings,   clipping    42 

Yards   and  fences    72 

Yolk,  color  of 44 


Kvm 


